Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to echo some of the comments that have been made by some of the previous speakers. The idea behind mortgage interest supplement is that it is supposed to be a short-term supplement. The important thing about mortgage supplement is that it is a safety net for people who lose employment. It allows them to keep their heads above water and ensure that they do not lose their home, pending the opportunity of getting another job. The difficulty at the moment is that people cannot get alternative employment, but that should not mean that this safety net does not remain in place.

The Aire Stáit in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government was reported in today's newspapers talking about the need for the banks to release capital to allow young people to get mortgages. What is the point in allowing them to get mortgages when, if they get into difficulty and lose their job, they will end up losing their home in a couple of years and have this additional financial burden placed on top of them? Have we not learned enough from what has gone on in this country over the last five years to ensure that we have a sensible regime in place?

The ethos behind government is to give people a hand up and hopefully get them into employment and onto the first steps of the property ladder in this country. What is the point of encouraging them to go down that road when a basic safety net is not being put in place for them? If someone has never worked or never owned a home, then they have nothing to lose from this Bill. However, people who try their damnedest to get into employment and get a roof over the own heads are the people being penalised by this Bill. I urge the Minister to reconsider it.

See this speech in context