Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was actually going to do a three-minute slot.

When we debated the Personal Insolvency Act 2012, the Independents submitted more than 80 amendments. We had a great deal of input to the legislation. Three sections of the Act dealt with important debt arrangements - debt relief notices, debt settlement arrangements and personal insolvency arrangements.

We must be sensible in this debate on repossessions and mortgages. We cannot revert to the days of the Famine when evictions were carried out without common sense. We must examine the situation and be sensible in doing deals with mortgagors, including young couples and families. They bought three-bedroom houses in the middle of the boom for €475,000 that are now worth only €180,000. This is a difficult situation for them. Legislation should have a touch of humanity. We must be supportive of people, particularly those being threatened with repossession. We need common sense, clear regulation and, above all, compassion.

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