Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Leader for his contribution yesterday on the re-ordering of business and allowing additional time to debate a number of the Bills, particularly Report Stage of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill to be taken later and the Final Stages of the Defence (Amendment) Bill to be taken tomorrow. I genuinely thank the Leader for that because it shows that when we work together on the ordering of business, Members can be satisfied that they can contribute properly to the debates.

I wish to raise a number of matters. The European Central Bank today intends to announce a further interest rate rise of 0.25%, the second rise since April. It is likely there will be another two increases before the year's end. We are all aware of the pressures mortgage holders are under and these additional increases, based on a €250,000 mortgage, will mean an extra €100 per month in repayments.

There was a raft of promises in the programme for Government on assistance for mortgage holders in distress, including increasing the mortgage interest relief to 30% for first-time buyers and people who bought houses between 2004 and 2008. In the past week my colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, asked the Minister for Finance what the Government intended to do about that and when it would follow through on the firm and detailed commitments given in the programme for Government. Last month, the Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, stated that the Government would examine a number of proposals regarding its commitment and that any changes to mortgage interest relief would be considered in the context of the annual budget and Finance Bill process. What we have now is another review. We have detailed commitments in the programme for Government that have not been honoured. I put it to the Leader that mortgage holders cannot wait until the budget in December and the passing of the Finance Bill in January. If the Government has made firm commitments in the programme for Government, this side of the House and my colleagues in the other House will have no difficulty in facilitating it in quickly bringing forward the commitments it made both in the run up to the election and during the formation of the Government.

Will the Leader indicate the proposals the Government will be bringing forward on providing assistance for mortgage holders? When will the Government follow through on its commitment to increase mortgage interest relief to 30% for those who bought houses between 2004 and 2008? When will the Government bring forward legislation to make good on those promises because, unfortunately, in terms of the ECB action, people will have at least two further interest rate increases before the end of the year? I would like to know from the Government when it intends to do that, and I put it to the Leader that it should be done urgently.

My colleague, Senator Thomas Byrne, yesterday raised a serious issue directly with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter. I believe the Minister withheld very important information from this House when the debate on the Smithwick tribunal was being taken. The Minister and the Government have restricted that tribunal, tied its hands and set a date of November for the tribunal to report. The tribunal chairman has stated that witnesses will not now come to the tribunal. I remind Members that our party tabled an amendment which was defeated in the Seanad to allow for additional time for the tribunal to report.

Prior to him coming into this House the Minister had in his possession a letter from Judge Smithwick outlining his grave concerns about Government restrictions on the tribunal. The Minister did not even allude to that. Our amendment was voted down. In the interests of clarity and transparency, the Minister should have, at the very least, informed this House and the Dáil during the debate that he was in possession of a letter from the chairperson of the tribunal, Mr. Justice Smithwick, stating the timing restrictions would hinder the job being done by the latter. The Minister did not inform the House; rather, he withheld vital information. My party has tabled a motion of censure of the Minister in the Dáil. We intend to follow this through in the Seanad at every available opportunity. If a Minister is to show scant disregard for the Oireachtas by withholding crucial information relevant to a Bill before either House, it is unacceptable. Our amendment was defeated and the Minister never even alluded to the information in his possession. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to return to the House specifically tell us, as Members of the Oireachtas, that he did not inform us he had received a letter from Mr. Justice Smithwick.