Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While it is frightening to read about the scale of the tracker mortgage scandal and the thousands who have been impacted, the human cost that is visible when one scratches away the numbers of euros is so much more frightening. Peoples homes were unjustifiably repossessed and the health of mortgage holders was affected. People delayed having families and their hopes and dreams of a better life were completely dashed.

We have put down this motion to support the thousands of people who were denied tracker mortgages in this banking scandal. We have heard the first-hand accounts at our finance committee meeting and subsequently in the media. Great credit is due to Deputy McGuinness and his committee for raising that. Credit is also due to Deputy Michael McGrath who pursued the issue. It reflects very poorly on the banks, however, that the finance committee had to invite people to appear and bear their souls in an effort to get redress. It also reflects very poorly on the Government's oversight that it did not pick up on or act on this.

We are hearing different numbers - 13,000, 14,000 and many more. Our motion calls on the banks to identify fully all those people who were impacted by their white collar crime, restore their tracker rates straight away, and to pay compensation and redress without further delay. The banks must ensure that people who lost their homes are adequately housed. There must be accountability. It is essential. The Minister cannot allow those who made deliberate decisions unashamedly to steal people's money month after month and year after year to go unpunished. I ask all Members to support our motion. Tá géarghá déileáil leis an scrios atá déanta ag na bainc maidir leis na morgáistí. Táim ag iarraidh go mbeadh an Rialtas níos gníomhaí agus go dtabharfadh gach éinne tacaíocht don rún.

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