Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The vulture funds are not regulated by the Central Bank. They are untouchable by the Central Bank. The Tánaiste knows it as does every Deputy here. We have been dealing with these and they have no regard for the Central Bank, the Oireachtas or the law. They are pursuing borrowers with no intent. We deal with them all here. On the notion that in due course the Government will engage with Permanent TSB, it said this morning that the loans of 20,000 families are up for grabs.

In due course the Government will engage with Permanent TSB. It said this morning that the loans of 20,000 families are up for grabs. Now is the time to engage with it, not in due course, to say it has to protect these families. These are not non-entities, they are not systems. They are people living in family homes the length and breadth of this island. Some may have had difficulties with their loans but they have tried to engage and that engagement will count for nothing when it goes on to one of these funds. That has been our experience in dealing with these funds.

The Tánaiste should try to put the interests of families at the front of this. The Government is obsessed with fixing the system, but it should think about families who today face such an uncertain future and it should stand up for the rights of those whose family homes are under threat as we speak.

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