Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I am usually a positive person, so I will start by welcoming the mortgage relief provided in the budget for people in negative equity and the fact that the moratorium is to be extended to 12 months. I hope the banks will apply this provision and I look forward to it being put into action.

When I was canvassing for my friend, Senator Paschal Donohoe, in the by-election earlier this year, I met a lady in the heart of his constituency who told me that she could never vote for us because we had added a shilling to the old age pension, an act referred to by Senator Leyden. It struck me this morning-----