Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have to say that I have rarely had a more depressing response from a Minister. I appreciate it is one that has been handed to the Minister of State by the Minister for Finance. In a situation where tens of thousands of hard-pressed mortgage holders are struggling to pay the interest each month are being charged between €4,500 and €6,000 more a year, the Minister of State has given no indication whatsoever of any intention of this Government to address the issue. The only advice he has given, after all of those words, is that people should talk to their mortgage creditors. The families I am speaking to tell me they do not go out anymore. They are struggling. That is on top of the electricity bills that have shot up this year and all the other costs they have to pay, including the property tax that delivers no services in Limerick. The Government's answer is to tell people to talk to their mortgage creditors. When is this Government going to wake up and understand how badly hit mortgage holders are, and do something for them? Sinn Féin's proposals would have tackled this issue. I urge the Minister of State, in the minute he has to respond further, to indicate that his Government will do something meaningful for mortgage holders in Ireland today.