Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am aware there have been issues in regard to people on the pandemic unemployment payment and the wage subsidy schemes making mortgage applications. The Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform have kept in regular contact with banks about their approach to the loans situation in general during Covid-19, particularly during the severe lockdown phase. We have asked and put it to banks that they should respond in a sensible and appropriate way, and give every break they possibly can to people who are in difficult circumstances at the moment. On the bank side, they have to have assurances of capacity to pay over the medium term and, obviously, Covid-19 and severe lockdowns in certain sectors of the economy have created serious disruption. We know that in certain sectors, such as hospitality, travel and tourism, Covid-19 has caused major economic disruption which, in turn, has led to many people having to go on the pandemic unemployment payment, the employment wage subsidy scheme or the Covid restrictions support scheme.

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