Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach chun an cheist seo a fhreagairt.

As others said, the work of the commission of investigation has been painfully slow. The commission was originally intended to submit a final report no later than 31 December 2015. That date was revised to the end of April 2016, then to the end of June 2016 and then to the end of October 2016. We know that the commission's work during this period highlighted the need for the passage of bespoke legislation and an amendment to its terms of reference. That was done. At that point, we were told that its final report on the first module of its work would be completed by the end of 2017. That did not happen and the Government has extended the timeframe until the end of 2018. It is only fair and reasonable in the circumstances that we be given information and a time horizon for the completion of this work. Will the Taoiseach assure the House that the commission will complete its work by the end of 2018?

IBRC sold loans to vulture funds. After much campaigning by mortgage holders, this was the impetus which forced the Government to produce legislation to regulate the middlemen in the deals at the time. The issue has come to the fore again in recent weeks as a result of Permanent TSB and Ulster Bank flagging a massive sale of loans. AIB is also likely to look to make more sales. This all points to the banks consciously using vulture funds as a get-out clause and the Government refusing to shout “Stop”. I have raised before with the Taoiseach the need to regulate the vulture funds. I am not suggesting this is the silver bullet which would sort everything out. Actually, a ban on the sale of domestic mortgages to vulture funds would be in order. However, in the here and now, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, must tell the banks, as their main shareholder, that he will refuse to permit any sale to a vulture fund. Is the Taoiseach prepared to make that call?

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