John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

He probably knows it as well but he has to go along with it to cover his backside because of the commitment in the programme for Government. What I say to the Minister, Deputy Ross, is not to be afraid of the guys and gals he sits around with in Cabinet. He should be himself as he always was and he will achieve a lot more because they are not up to scratch. They are attempting to pull the wool over his eyes.

I will turn to the repossession courts. They are another example of kicking the can down the road. We in this House set up those courts. Every Wednesday in Kilkenny, there are 30 or 40 cases before the repossession court. In fairness to the registrar, she kicks the can down the road and leaves those people in their houses. Here is the scene: the court is full of children with their parents or individuals under pressure or in distress. The registrar is there and there is whispering all around her desk because that is the way they do it. On one side there are the barristers and solicitors, just like Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. They are all there. They are all ordinary people but they are all playing the game.

On the other side, there are the poor distressed and traumatised families in front of a high bench. The can is kicked down the road. Whose fault is that? Is it the quality of the judge, the quality of the legislation or is it our fault? I suggest it is our fault. We have made a mess of that legislation. We have put registrars and judges into awful predicaments, determining the future of families, their properties, well-being and mental health. We sit in this House discussing this Bill when there are so many other key issues facing families and courts, such as repossession and their futures. We have 77,000 people out there with distressed mortgages. We have the banks now inviting in the vulture funds. In the Seanad today, the Government refused to consider a solution to that problem in terms of the presentation of a co-operative society and a Bill. Political parties, even my own, do not know how to respond to it. I do not think they want to respond to it. They like the status quo. It is a comfortable auld place to be and they will not get into trouble. What happens? There are 77,000 people before the courts and we kick the can down the road and continue to abuse family after family. It is reprehensible.

The Minister, Deputy Ross, sits in Cabinet. He has approved another Bill, the Public Sector Standards Bill. It comes before the finance committee and we dealt with it on Committee Stage. It is stalled at the moment because the lads keeping the Government in power on this side of the House are trying to put a check on the Government.

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