Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill introduced by Deputy Michael McGrath. Any effort to put manners on these so-called vulture funds is very welcome. They are vultures. Deputy Michael Noonan is on record as saying that they were needed at the time when they came here. No vulture funds are needed. The grey crows are not needed in the field of spuds or when a lamb is being born as they try to pick they eyes out of their heads. Grey crows are vultures. These funds are worse. As far as I am concerned, they are vermin and they should not be tolerated on these shores. The late Deputy Sean Byrne and his late dad and my late dad spent time fighting in the Curragh, Clonmel and Limerick to rid this country of such people but they are back again. We saw what happened last week. The answer which the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, gave me then was nothing short of drivel.

The answer I got from the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, was to put it in writing. I did put it in writing, but did I get any acknowledgement from the Taoiseach, from the Minister for Justice and Equality or from the Minister for Finance? No, I did not. Merciless thugs beat up and evicted a family in Balbriggan. Merciless thugs - that is what is going on. These people have no sense of responsibility. We can certainly try regulation. I am all for it and will support the Bill but I do not know if is enough because these people do not respect any regulation; they do not respect borders; and they have no self respect. All they want is money, whether it be blood money or ordinary money. That is all they want and they are wreaking havoc in this country.

Why will the Government not support the Bill proposed by Deputies McGuinness and MacSharry and myself? It was drawn up by Mr. Edmund Honohan and he will be speaking on it tomorrow in the audiovisual room. How many Deputies will attend to hear what he has to say? He is a man who has the experience of the Four Courts. The lads went out to meet people in New York who have organised a social and ethical fund of up to €4 billion at minimal interest which can be used to keep people in their homes. Look at what has been done in Northern Ireland, up the road in the Six Counties. We say we want to take it over and have it as part of our country but they are showing us the way. It takes only 12 weeks in Northern Ireland after a council house has been vacated before there is someone new in it but we cannot do anything like that here.

We are beholden to these people and to certain institutions. I do not know what it is, whether it is the building out the front gate, 100 yards down the street on the right, but I fear it is because there is something sinister going on here. We do not want to tackle these people. The Ministers can talk and giggle all they like but they will not listen. They might say that I am painful to listen to but I am telling the Ministers the facts. We want no more of these people on our shores. The people are not going to put up with it. Lives will be lost which is a serious thing for me to say but people will not accept this third force in Ireland, in balaclavas, and why should they? We had them for long enough in the past. I am telling the Government that it must accept this motion and introduce regulations. I am told that in 2015 the Central Bank asked for such regulations to be introduced but the Government refused. The Government is refusing to do so again and refused to accept amendments to the Finance Bill tabled by Deputy Fitzmaurice and myself. I ask the Government to act in the name of the Irish people and the dead generations.

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