Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the members of the Fianna Fáil group, I wish to convey our condolences to the Bolger family on the terrible tragedy in the Leader’s part of the world in Dunmore East. It is an awful tragedy for one family to bear, to lose three brothers. It shows the danger and risks fishermen in our waters take every time they go out to sea. Our thoughts are with the family today and with the Leader and his colleagues from the Waterford area.

I read with interest the announcement from the Central Bank on its debt pilot scheme which will commence this month. It has met with a degree of criticism from the Irish League of Credit Unions. That said, all schemes that try to assist individuals in debt are welcome but I am sure the Leader would agree there is a proliferation of such schemes currently. We have the mortgage resolution measures from the banks, the Irish Banking Federation agreed steps for those in mortgage arrears, the personal insolvency service and the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, among others. The situation is difficult. I looked at the Insolvency Service of Ireland website this morning on foot of the announcement from the Central Bank and it is quite confusing, even to someone such as I who has a specific interest in the issue. It is difficult to see where one would go to seek advice and in what process one would become engaged. I suggest that in the next couple of weeks we could invite either the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, or the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, to the House to debate the various options available for distressed borrowers. The House could do a good job in that regard, in so far as it could tease out what is available and who should go into which process. I further suggest that we could appoint rapporteurs to produce a guide following the debate in Seanad Éireann to provide to individuals in difficulty. It is difficult to know which scheme a person should enter. It would be of value to citizens and to us if we could tease out the matter further and see what options are available next week. I urge the Leader to consider the matter.

I have not had an opportunity up to now to congratulate the new Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Tom Hayes, on his appointment by the Taoiseach. I have no doubt he will do a very good job. I look forward to him coming to the House to debate issues, in particular those of interest to me in the horticultural area. I ask the Leader to convey my congratulations and best wishes to the new Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes.