Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for attending the House to discuss this issue. He will have heard many of the points made on the last two occasions on which we debated it. I am critical of the Keane report along the same lines as New Beginning, but I do not want to rain on anybody's parade, as it is another effort by a group of people to come up with solutions. Almost always I find myself disagreeing with Deputy Joe Higgins on his views and colourful contributions. I have to say, however, that he got it in one on the Keane report which is effectively about sending the fox back into the hen house to give CPR to the hens that have just been attacked.

This House is very much in agreement. Having been a Member for nine years, the great tragedy of the Seanad is that there is a Whip. We were forced to vote down the Family Home Bill on Second Stage a number of months ago, pending the amendment of the Debt Settlement and Mortgage Resolution Office Bill which was accepted on Second Stage last week. It is a shame that there is a Whip because we could have been ahead of the game otherwise. I, therefore, ask the Minister of State to read his script from that night rather than his script of tonight. They are extremely different in acknowledging that there is a major problem.