Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The point is that the banks have not changed. There is no confidence among the public in the capacity of the banks to deal fairly with the thousands of people in mortgage arrears because of the change in the code of practice and the change in the legislation which essentially gives carte blanche to the banks and puts them in the driving seat. I am not the only person saying that. People at the coalface who are helping families are saying it and they have briefed Deputies on it. They find it incredible that the banks have been given such additional powers by the Government to put additional pressure on families in mortgage arrears. The people do not trust the banks to deal with them fairly and independently. That is the actual position and it is why the Taoiseach should have introduced an independent oversight mechanism.

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