Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I have rarely, if ever, interrupted the Senator. This is not the way to do business. This is an important Bill which provides for an extra charge for hundreds of thousands of people. The charge is probably necessary to replenish the insurance compensation fund, but this is not the way to do business in the House. I hope we will not see the debate on any further Bills being guillotined in this fashion.

I asked yesterday whether we would have a debate on the three year fiscal plan the Government was to introduce. I asked that question in the context of the budget deliberations. On the last day of the previous session the House saw fit to defeat by only three votes a Bill which would have provided real protection for home owners. Is the Government going to see through its commitment given prior to the general election to increase the rate of mortgage interest relief to 30%? This effectively would amount to a net saving of €160 per month for home owners in difficulty, but the Government has been backtracking since. Will it do what it stated it would do, or will it renege on another pre-election promise?