Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

It would be better to tackle these than people who have fallen on hard times through becoming unemployed.

We on this side of the House asked for a moratorium on mortgage repayments for people who had become unemployed, and we were told it would be part of the recapitalisation negotiations with the banks. This does not seem to have happened. We need the Minister to come to the House as a matter of urgency to let us know what is being done to help people who are unemployed and cannot at the moment meet their mortgage repayments. It needs to be spelt out. We were given assurances it would happen with the recapitalisation of the banks, but it is not happening. Increasing numbers of people are receiving letters from banks threatening repossession, while people who owe tens of millions are not being tackled at all. There is a need for clarification in this regard. The Minister should come to the House and reassure the thousands of people who find themselves in difficulties in these times.