Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While one cannot and should not paint every developer with the same brush, what happened in the case of Priory Hall was a scandal and a disgrace. A number of weeks ago, we looked at this matter seriously. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, made some comments yesterday. The residents now have the opportunity to discuss the detail of that and make their decision. I hope that we will not be back here in a few years with the same proposition.

Reports indicate that the property situation in Dublin and the greater Dublin area is beginning to improve. I hear of people queuing to see houses or apartments on offer. I have reports of extensive requirements for public housing in different areas.

That situation is not replicated everywhere in the country but there are some signs of movement. Negative equity is not an issue for people who do not have a job. Those who were working and have lost their jobs find themselves in a position of distress. It is hoped that banks and other lenders will engage constructively in the process of cutting a deal that is sustainable for borrowers and them. The point made by the Deputy has been made here on many other occasions. The committee on mortgage arrears is not oblivious to that. We all want to see a situation whereby solutions are worked out so that people can know with some degree of certainty that they can meet their mortgage repayment requirements while at the same time being able to live their lives. Nobody wants to go back to the situation to which the Deputy quite rightly referred.

The Deputy can take it that the Cabinet sub-committee dealing with this issue will continue to focus on ensuring that the suite of options put in place are followed through quickly, diligently and fairly so that sustainable solutions to particular problems are found. This is, and will continue to be, the remit of the Cabinet sub-committee. It is hoped that when the Governor is in a position to report on the audit of figures submitted by the banks, the targets set out will have been achieved, which targets are rising by each quarter. I genuinely hope that we get to a point as quickly as possible whereby sustainable solutions will have been put in place for the majority of people, with banks continuing to focus on finding sustainable solutions in the remainder of cases.

I do not disagree with the principle of the Deputy's point. The Cabinet sub-committee is focused on getting results and solutions for all concerned.

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