Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have two quick points relating to banking and the application of rules under the present circumstances. Some lending institutions are applying a system whereby arrears occurring and accruing will be capitalised. This will result in an increase in the monthly mortgage repayment. That will be no great help to the unfortunate mortgage holder. Could it be appended onto the end of the mortgage repayment period? That would be far more realistic. The same lending institutions were bailed out by the State, the people and the country. They seem to have forgotten that.

Other points have been raised generally relating to the processing of hardship cases accruing from the banking collapse. If I see another financial statement in front of me, I will beat my head off the wall. They keep repeating the same procedure. We see another financial statement and another and another. The Minister will know this himself. It is crazy. Some people are ill or under pressure or in danger of losing their homes. They find themselves in a situation where they get another mortgage statement. I said to someone in a lending institution today that there should be no more mortgage statements. The local authority has already decided to convert from mortgage to rent. It is now the Minister's job to approve that. Perhaps it might be a good time to apply some pressure there.

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