Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

It is similar to showing a burglar the blueprints for an alarm system before it is installed. I call for a debate, even if the Bill is mammoth in size and consists of 200 pages. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste quite comically wasted public time by holding a press conference to display their unity rather than highlighting the importance of the mortgage issue. This House has the capacity and must put the interests of the people front and centre, to coin a phrase regularly used by the Taoiseach when in opposition, and debate the Bill, make worthwhile suggestions and make it law. As I have often said, I fear that Senator Barrett is on the back stairs of the Department of Finance with the bankers. My fear is alive and well. As we saw yet again yesterday, we will have a bankers' solution for the bankers with the people playing mere spectators. I would like to see real legislation and real change that puts the people first, not the banks and their bottom lines.