Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is indeed and it always was going back to before the Famine. However, there are circumstances in which we are down to the hard cases. I have made the point previously that the legislation that is most relevant and not used much here is the insolvency legislation. Some people find themselves insolvent in respect of their property and there are no circumstances in which they can afford to pay for it. Perhaps it is through no fault of their own or perhaps it is their fault. The reason we reduced the insolvency period from 12 years to one was in order that people could start again but there is a lack of desire to use that legislation.