Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking to the amendment because it refers to the fact that 136,000 households are in mortgage distress. In the presentation made yesterday by Mr. David Hall and the representatives of Grant Thornton, to which Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett referred, they said it was expected that there would be a bloodbath. In fact, there has been a bloodbath. There have been very many suicides, as well as considerable mental and physical distress in the households of the State. One should remember that 136,000 households amount to 500,000 people. One should add to this the 250,000 who have emigrated and the 300,000 in the 100,000 households on housing waiting lists. One should also add to it the number of people who have no homes and the number of SMEs in deep distress. Let us think about what happens.

Ms Fiona Muldoon left her job in the Central Bank early.

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