Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have witnessed a number of serious scandals in this country over recent decades. I recall having a conversation with the Minister when we were in opposition about the endowment mortgage scandal and the fact that nothing was at that time being done about it. Why will the Minister not move quickly on this issue? He was prepared to move in the middle of the night a year ago on an important matter. Why not pass the sale of loan books to unregulated third parties Bill, which is on the C list, this evening rather than waiting until 2015 to do so, which will be too late? This Government may not even be in office then. Or he could simply accept the spirit of Deputy Michael McGrath's Bill and put it on the Statute Book as quickly as possible.

I commend Deputies Mathews and Donnelly on their suggestions with regard to the publication of the advice from PricewaterhouseCoopers. The last comment made by the Minister may offer a tiny glimmer of hope to mortgage holders. However, people believe the Minister is simply standing idly by and allowing them to be thrown to the vultures. That is the net impact of what is being done to Irish Nationwide mortgage holders. Will the Minister reconsider this matter and have the relevant legislation put on the Statute Book? I am aware that voluntary compliance was a feature of the Apollo deal and others. However, one cannot trust vultures to behave in any kind of voluntary or community-oriented manner. This is a matter for Deputy Noonan as Minister.

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