Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I find myself in agreement to an extent with Senator MacSharry. I deal on a daily basis with people who have significant mortgage arrears. Despite talk of green shoots and economic improvement, they do not really see any light at the end of the tunnel. There is fatigue among the general population, particularly among those with mortgage arrears. They want to see real action on insolvency. It is time to bring this phoney war to an end. It will only be when we see the proof of the pudding that we will be able to tell people that there is a real end in sight. I also heard Pat Kenny's programme today. It is clear that there is a level of utter despair out there. It behoves us to send a clear message to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, that we need to see real action. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to come to the House to discuss mortgage arrears and explain the specifics he has in mind to bring this desperate situation to an end.

There will shortly be a review of rent supplement levels. I have made the following point before. The rent supplement situation is causing severe issues in urban areas in particular. The rents being charged far exceed the rent supplement limits available. A recent study by the Citizen's Information Centre showed that in my area of Dún Laoghaire there was not a single property available at the rent supplement caps.

I ask that the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, come to the House to hear its views on the rent supplement system.