Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to comment briefly. I am glad that the amendment is not going to be supported by my party. If this was passed then the Bill would have to go back to the Seanad and we would be looking at next October or November before this Bill could be brought back into the Dáil. I compliment the Minister of State for the great deal of work that he has done on this legislation. We will do whatever we can to help stop people's homes being taken from them. We read in recent days that some 3,200 mortgages with Ulster Bank are to be sold off to vulture funds. That is if what we are reading is true.

These are homeowners, in owner-occupied properties, doing their damnedest to try to stay in their properties. They are doing deals with the banks but still finding it difficult to comply with the stringent terms being applied. We will do anything we can in this House and in the other House to try to help people who are struggling. I am referring to genuine people living in their homes and doing their damnedest to try to keep those homes. They are working extremely hard to try to meet the demands of the banks. We should be doing anything we can to help. This is a step in the right direction but not the full journey. It would be detrimental to delay this Bill passing until next October or November.

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