Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be aware that Ireland is the most expensive country in the world in terms of child care costs. This is an area that requires targeted action. This Government and previous governments have failed ordinary working people in not taking targeted action to address child care costs.

On mortgage debt and variable interest rates, some banks are charging new customers a lower variable interest rate than that which they are charging their existing customers. Perhaps the Minister will say if there is anything further he can do in regard to this matter which would provide people with hope, particularly those people who have had to pay high taxes in recent years and are badly squeezed.

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