Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second this motion and I am glad to have another opportunity to debate this issue. However, it is not talk we need but action on the various recommendations to solve the problem of mortgage arrears. I do not hold the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, responsible for this matter. In fact, he is a brilliant performer and I am great fan of his. However, we are only as good as the briefing material we are supplied with and the information at hand. Whoever wrote the Government’s amendment to our motion has not been listening to the debate on mortgage arrears. It states, Seanad Éireann “acknowledges that this Government inherited a severe mortgage arrears crisis from the previous Government”. What does that mean? We have the Taoiseach on the front of Time magazine accepting accolades that were for the late Brian Lenihan for the actions he had taken and yet this Government claims all the problems were created by the previous Government. There were some governments that managed to do the same in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Japan, Italy, Cyprus, America, France, Germany and many other countries. Fianna Fáil is a lot better than the GAA and the Catholic church. I accept there were some mistakes made and they have been acknowledged and apologised for but still we have some muppet in the Fine Gael press office writing that Seanad Éireann “acknowledges that this Government inherited a severe mortgage arrears crisis from the previous Government”. The motion might as well state it also acknowledges the brilliant fiscal management as announced on the radio by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, when sympathising with the nation and supported by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, and many others.

One reason the opinion polls are not favourable to the Government is that people are a bit sick of being told this is all Fianna Fáil’s fault.