Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

The Leader is contributing to making this House irrelevant. I may as well be sitting at home issuing press releases instead of being in this Chamber. That is how bad the situation has become.

The Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has great leverage with the banks and, thus, an opportunity to help families who face the threat of losing their homes. Will the Leader bring to his attention the situation of the many couples who fixed their mortgages a year or more ago when they saw that interest rates were rising? It is great news that the European Central Bank has since reduced the rate, but these people are caught. I understand they would benefit by some €300 to €400 per month if they could renegotiate their agreement with the banks.