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

I welcome the fact that a review is taking place. I am not familiar with this review and I presume that the views of those on this side of the House are not being solicited in respect of it. We, as Opposition spokespersons on finance, and the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, have invested a great deal of time considering the position with regard to the mortgage arrears crisis. When commenting on the review, the Minister referred to the suite of options that will be available in terms of restructuring. Does the review encompass a consideration of the powers that could be extended to the courts to deal with banks that are vetoing personal insolvency arrangements? Will the review be examining the position with regard to the bankruptcy rules and reducing the three-year term of bankruptcy to one year? The House is due to take Report Stage of the Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014. Is the Government considering using this legislation to bring forward amendments to deal with the length of the term of bankruptcy or to stipulate what the courts may take into account when issuing repossession orders?

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