Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their support. I recognise the points they have made. It is said that the Government is not doing anything. Deputy O'Callaghan spoke about the legislation introduced by Deputy Michael McGrath before Christmas. The Government supported that Bill. I was in this job for less than two years when I introduced this legislation. Many a person in this House has brought in legislation that did not get as far as the Office of the Attorney General. The Government is proactive.

I have worked with Ms Julie Sadlier, a solicitor, and Dr. Padraic Kenna on this Bill. Everybody in the House is out canvassing at the moment. We meet people who find themselves in mortgage arrears. There are 28,000 such households. If we assume there are four members in each of those families, more than 100,000 people are affected by this. The Government is moving in the right direction with this legislation, which will go a long way to supporting those families and helping the people I have spoken to throughout the country, particularly judges who are looking for help. People who have contacted me in recent months are waiting on this piece of legislation. I ask Deputies to trust me; plenty of those people email me daily to check the Bill's progress. I am delighted it has come to this. I am also pleased to have the support of colleagues across the House and thrilled that this is the second Bill I have introduced in the House in less than two years.

See this speech in context