Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not know how the 300,000 people who are paying above and beyond to service their mortgages are managing. In many of the cases of mortgage restructuring of which I am aware, the people involved actually had tracker mortgages. One can hardly imagine how much variable rate mortgage holders are struggling. Will the Leader ask the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance to introduce the proposed levy and thereby oblige the banks to deal? I have it on good authority from bank managers in Galway that the political class will simply have to force the banks to act. They cannot get their boards to agree to such action because of the concerns of shareholders. However, if forced to act by Government, they will do so.

In June 2012, the German Chancellor, Ms Angela Merkel, and the Taoiseach reached agreement on a bank recapitalisation deal for Ireland. Almost three years later, we have not seen a cent from that deal. We all know that Ireland saved the entire European banking system. I meet so many people in the course of my work who are hurting and it is time we paid them back in some way. I accept that we are not flush with funds. However, even Mr. Schäuble, the German Finance Minister, is on record as saying that Ireland bailed out the European banking system and is due something. I want to see the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance putting this issue high on the agenda and working to secure a deal for Ireland.