Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will not be opposing the Order of Business. I raise two issues. First, in recent days we saw the result of the civil action regarding the bombing in Omagh, County Tyrone. It is a different jurisdiction but it might be useful to have a discussion on the outcome of that case to determine the options, if any, that are available to authorities in this jurisdiction. That bombing was one of the biggest single atrocities in the Troubles, and it would be worthy of this jurisdiction to acknowledge what happened in Northern Ireland in that regard and at least explore the options that may be available to us.

Second, I ask the Leader for an early debate on the insolvency guidelines issued today. Some of the headlines in today's broadsheets and tabloid newspapers suggest that they balance fairness with mercy but as mentioned in the House yesterday, the chief executive officer of Bank of Ireland, which is effectively an insolvent bank bailed out by the people, earns some ¤850,000 per year. Under these insolvency guidelines, members of rural families who need two cars to go about their daily business may be forced, under these insolvency guidelines, to have only one, give up their health insurance, and have determined their television packages. Do we have similar terms and conditions for people in receipt of social welfare?

In all of our deliberations in the context of mortgage arrears and the debt crisis, the institution has always come first and the people have always come last. I made these points to the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, in a calm fashion yesterday, and we will do what we can to make them again today with the Minister, Deputy Noonan, but at some stage the people must come first. I am concerned because despite the announcement last week on what the Government intends to do about the mortgage arrears crisis, we see that the banks are still in control. We now have an insolvency service that will give people already struggling a list of "do's" and "don'ts" when the bailed out banks, and the CEOs on ¤850,000 a year, are allowed operate to a different set of rules.

In anybody's book, that is unfair. We must do something about it.