Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Minister was not in the room, but I expect he was well briefed. We sometimes learn more about these matters from the media than we do in this Chamber. It is suggested that the mortgage crisis is another area that was discussed. Obviously, the Minister has changed his tune on how to deal with those seeking mortgages and restrictions on lending. The Central Bank has intervened very clearly and undermined the efforts of the Government with regard to Construction 2020 with its decision to decrease the maximum loan-to-value ratio for those applying for mortgages to 80%, although it might roll back a little on that. The Minister indicated that measures would be brought forward in the Finance Bill relating to mortgage insurance and that an assessment would be carried out before that Bill was introduced. None of that has happened and, as a result, the Minister has asked the finance committee to deal with the issue. Did this issue arise with the troika? What was the troika's view on the Government's intention of increasing mortgage availability by increasing loan-to-value ratios through a mortgage insurance scheme?

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