Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Doherty knows the truth of this matter. Fianna Fáil was the only party to campaign in the election last year for the retention of mortgage interest relief. If we had not entered into a confidence and supply agreement and negotiated to the best of our ability, 100% of the relief would be lost at the end of this year. I agree with the Deputy about the consequences that would have for more than 290,000 mortgage accounts, which would almost certainly represent more than 400,000 mortgageholders. What we are seeking to do and what we have achieved is an abolition that is gradual. We would love to see the relief retained but what we are seeing here is a political manoeuvre by Sinn Féin. It did not prioritise this issue in the election campaign last year but Fianna Fáil did. We entered into political negotiations and got the best deal that we could. Sinn Féin has come to the table very late on this issue.

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