Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

Yesterday I called a vote on the Order of Business asking the Minister of State with responsibility for disability to come to the House which was voted down, yet many of those on the Government side of the House chose to speak on this emotive issue against the cuts for people with disabilities. They had their own reasons for not being able to support the Minister of State coming before the House which is why I support Senator Fitzgerald today. I ask those on the Government side to come out to the gates of Leinster House at 1 p.m. today and meet the people who are suffering.

Why do we choose to let people with disabilities, who are the weakest, the voiceless and the most vulnerable in society, pay the highest price? Why can we not let Anglo Irish Bank swing instead of people with disabilities? I still do not understand why we put Anglo Irish Bank, a bank which no one can justify, before everyone else. I am equally astounded with the reports on the front page of the Irish Independent today which notes that the expert group on home mortgage debt said we should let home owners give back their homes and go on the social housing list.

Senator MacSharry and others in this House have been putting forward proposals for many months to help people to hold on to their homes. It is very uncomfortable for all of us. Did I hear one reasonable suggestion in the report such as allowing people to have an extra ten years' term to pay off their mortgages? No, I did not. I want to know what the Minister for Finance will do to save people's homes and businesses and face down the banks. We see that NAMA sold him a pup. There are 75% non-performing loans. It is a joke. The banks are liars, they have proven it and have fooled the Government. I want answers for the people.