Sharon Keogan (Independent)

Today I rise to speak for the voiceless, those 200,000 Irish citizens, many of them in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, who were sold out by their own Government and financial institutions. These are not reckless borrowers; these are neighbours, pensioners and parents trapped in a nightmare of missold mortgages and are now preyed upon by vulture funds operating in the shadows of our financial system. Let us call it what it is: a systemic betrayal. The Central Bank, tasked with protecting consumers, instead played both referee and player, overseeing prudential supervision while failing to enforce consumer rights. The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO, is a toothless body, rejecting nearly half of all complaints before they even reach mediation. This is not justice; this is bureaucracy shielding banks and funds from accountability.

While our people suffer, this Government continues to pour petrol on the fire. Its reckless unvetted migration policy is exacerbating the housing crisis, driving up demand and pushing vulnerable Irish families further into the margins. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in protest. They were ordinary citizens, not extremists, demanding fairness, transparency and a Government that puts Irish people first. What was the Government's response? Silence, dismissal and smears. We need action. We need an independent consumer protection body, a reformed FSPO that serves the people, not the banks, and a migration policy that is sustainable, lawful and rooted in the needs of our communities, not dictated by globalist agendas. The Irish people are watching and they will not be ignored.