Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I second the motion. Yesterday, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul published its pre-budget submission, aptly titled, Don't Push Them Over the Edge. Many people feel they are living on the edge. I commend Senator McFadden on her eloquent and humane presentation of the motion. People matter to us.

Unfortunately, indebtedness has become a huge problem for many ordinary people who were happily sailing along two or three years ago. Those who were most vulnerable during the Celtic tiger, namely, the unemployed, the elderly, the disabled and lone parents, have been joined by a new group of vulnerable people who worked hard and saved to purchase their family homes. Five years ago, we had never heard about negative equity or NAMA. People thought developers were gods who built houses across the country to save them from homelessness and social housing.

It is alarming that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has experienced increases of up to 30% in demands for services. The society is spending more than €18 million per year, including €6 million on food, €3.8 million on energy, €3.8 million on education and €8.7 million on direct financial help. These figures demonstrate that people are suffering.

The motion calls on the Government to take urgent, immediate and proactive steps to support people and, in particular, to remove debt enforcement from the courts by providing an alternative dispute resolution system, allow us to regulate debt collection agencies, incorporate the home ownership scheme in the National Asset Management Agency and expand the money advice and budgeting service. The Minister, in his previous incarnation, was involved in MABS, a fine organisation which does great work.

To take the example of Monday last, 76 applications for home repossessions were listed in the High Court, of which 18, the highest figure ever recorded, were granted. The number of applications for home repossessions before the High Court increased by 100% between 2007 and 2009. I do not fly a flag for people who are careless or greedy but we must differentiate between those who will not pay and those who want to pay but do not have the resources to do so. We all make mistakes and in that respect, mea culpa.