Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator O'Brien's call for the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, to come to the House to debate the appalling state of morale in the Garda Síochána. I also call for a debate on the issue of front-line service providers, including emergency crews in the ambulance and fire brigade services, the Garda Síochána, paramedics, nurses and doctors. What we saw last night is only the tip of the iceberg with regard to what is coming down the line. The Government has failed to realise that it cannot renegotiate the Croke Park agreement until it tackles the mortgage issue, because when we start cutting the pay of gardaí, nurses and paramedics, their ability to pay their mortgages decreases and they become stretched to the limit. Like many people around the country, they will end up in arrears. Some 30% of mortgages have already either been restructured or are in arrears. By cutting these people's pay and changing their terms and conditions of employment, the Government will force gardaí, nurses, doctors, paramedics, ambulance drivers and those in the fire brigade service to default on their loans. If the Government had put in place a structure whereby people in mortgage difficulty could extend the terms of their loans or renegotiate them, perhaps it could have tackled the Croke Park agreement.

As it has not tackled the mortgage crisis, it cannot turn around now and start renegotiating the Croke Park agreement. If it does so, thousands of additional people will no longer be able to pay their mortgages. We do not want gardaí to be unable to pay their mortgages. I have referred previously to the root of this problem. President Clinton told the Government over 12 months ago that it needed to tackle the mortgage issue. It is the root cause of many of our problems, including the decrease in private sector spending and the difficulties in renegotiating the Croke Park agreement. I have heard Senators on the other side of the House asking the banks to do something. The banks will do nothing other than create profit for themselves and their shareholders. It is the Government's responsibility to put legislation and structures in place to ensure the banks negotiate with people. That is necessary if people are to be able to spend money in the economy, put fuel in their oil tanks, pay their mortgages and put food on their tables. We are seeing activity from the Government but no action.