Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Ardagh and others in speaking about the tracker mortgage scandal. Clearly this gives rise to very worrying issues around the dealings of the Central Bank of Ireland with the banks, in particular on the issue of the delay. I understand the Central Bank of Ireland commenced its investigation two years ago. However, there is a sense of urgency about dealing with the issue now because people saw individuals who were deeply affected prejudicially by the banks' actions at the public hearings of Oireachtas committees. There is a concern that greater urgency must be shown in dealing with the banks. It is simply not enough to call them in and to expect voluntary compliance with codes. More teeth must be given, if necessary to the Central Bank of Ireland, in pursuing banks which are guilty of these types of behaviours towards their clients.

I commend the Irish Penal Reform Trust which launched an excellent report today entitled, Progress in the Penal System: A Framework for Penal Reform. This is a groundbreaking report, setting up a series of criteria by which we must judge our penal system. I was glad to see the references to the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality's report on the penal system from 2013 and the progress made since then. I commend the Irish Penal Reform Trust on its work and I recommend the report to colleagues.

I welcome the vote taken by the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution last week not to retain the eighth amendment in full. I hope the joint committee will go on to recommend full repeal of the eighth amendment. It is good to see the committee working in public. It is important that debate is conducted in a respectful fashion and that issues around abortion and termination of crisis pregnancy are dealt with in a respectful fashion. Unfortunately, we saw in recent days some very distasteful and offensive comments by a Member of this House, Senator Mullen, around the anniversary of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar. I condemn the words he used which were condemned subsequently by friends of Savita's family.