Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

If they were inaccurate, I hope it was not in the context of the concerns expressed by the Minister because I was impressed by the latter. I am not, however, impressed by the fact that the Minister is prepared to overpay to the tune of €7 billion in respect of bad loans from banks or that he is not prepared to provide €1 billion of a jobs stimulus or a further €1 billion to assist people who are at risk of losing their homes. After all, those to whom I refer are underwriting the €54 billion that is being provided to NAMA.

Fine Gael tabled 99 amendments on Committee Stage in the Dáil. Among these was an amendment in respect of the establishment of a home owners support scheme. Such a scheme would provide a means to protect the thousands who are facing repossession of their family homes. Some 35,000 people could be affected in this regard next year. Respond! housing association has indicated that 25,000 people have already been affected. The Minister ruled the amendment to which I refer out of order on the basis that it represented a charge on the Exchequer.