Averil Power (Fianna Fail)

I want to raise two issues. The first is a proposal that the Order of Business be amended to take No. 23, motion 8 on the Order Paper, which states: "That the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 (Section 12) (Commencement) Order 2012 (S.I. No. 206 of 2012) be and are hereby annulled." Members on all sides of the House have had correspondence over recent weeks from the free legal advice centres on this particular section of the commencement order, which restricts the availability of the mortgage interest supplement to borrowers. In the debate in this House on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, which was guillotined earlier in the year, we had a brief debate on this section where the Minister, Deputy Burton, stated that the object is for the Department to help those in mortgage arrears but also to force lenders to engage in the mortgage arrears process. Otherwise the Department would be handing out money without any requirement for engagement.

Everybody in the Fianna Fáil group and, I am sure, other Members in this House believe that banks should be forced to engage. I agree in principle that the State should not be paying mortgage interest for the first 12 months and that the banks should do it. The problem is that the Minister, in bringing forward the commencement order, has done so in a way that is entirely premature because the adequate protections are not in place to ensure borrowers are protected. That also was a failing of the Personal Insolvency Bill that was published last week. My party agrees in principle that this change should be made, but it should only be made if and when adequate protections are in place for the borrowers. Such protections are not in place. That is not only our view in the Fianna Fáil group but the view of the free legal advice centres which deal with people day in, day out and which know exactly the legal rights of these people and the weaknesses in the current protection.

That is why my party will push for this amendment to the Order of Business today. I call on Members on all sides of the House to support it. We all know the difficulties being experienced in respect of mortgages and we have an opportunity in this House today to stand up for those affected.

I join Senator Norris's call for a debate in this House on the issue of same-sex marriage. Personally, I was incredibly disappointed by the Taoiseach's reaction when he was asked about it by my party leader yesterday. He has been incredibly cowardly on it because he will not say where he stands. This issue does not need to go the constitutional convention. It needs leadership from political parties. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Gilmore, has given his view. Our party leader has given his. I do not know why the Taoiseach will not give his own because his party passed a motion in respect of same-sex marriage.