James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In response to the first speaker, he is busy in the Chamber, but if he threw his eye over to the other Chamber occasionally, he would have heard the Taoiseach's comments about tracker mortgages, the Government's exasperation with same and the time for action. In that context, last week I mentioned Sparkasse in Germany. It has been in business for 200 years and is a community not-for-profit bank that is anxious to help set up a bank in Ireland, one that it would not own but would be run by Irish people. It would be interested in talking to credit unions regarding their role. In Germany, it offers mortgages and loans at 1.1%, although that rate would probably be 1.5% in this country. The Department of Finance has had a report for the past two years. It is time that it be released and action taken on this matter so as to afford businesses the opportunity to borrow from a third party.

One of my reasons for speaking today is to highlight a scam that many people have experienced. It involves phone calls from Africa. I have already received some from Morocco, Chad, Comoros and elsewhere.