Dáil Éireann
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol. 700 Thursday, No. 3 28 January 2010 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Thursday, 28 January 2010. Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32 ……………… 581 Order of Business ……………………………… 581 Membership of Committees: Motion ………………………… 587 Referral of Papers to Joint Committee on Health and Children: Motion …………… 588 Whistleblowers Protection Bill 2010: First Stage …………………… 592 Mid-West Task Force: Statements ………………………… 599 EU Scrutiny Report: Motion …………………………… 635 Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (resumed) ……… 651 Ceisteanna — Questions Minister for Education and Science Priority Questions …………………………… 654 Other Questions …………………………… 664 Adjournment Debate Matters …………………………… 678 Adjournment Debate Medical Cards ……………………………… 678 Waste Management …………………………… 680 Special Educational Needs ………………………… 682 School Accommodation …………………………… 684 Questions: Written Answers …………………………… 687 DÁIL ÉIREANN ———— Déardaoin, 28 Eanáir 2010. Thursday, 28 January 2010. ———— Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32. An Ceann Comhairle: Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 32. I will call on Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office. Deputy Finian McGrath: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the urgent need for more investment and job creation on the north side of Dublin and to call on the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and IDA Ireland to make this a priority issue and to give the maximum support and assistance to all small businesses in the Dublin North-Central constituency. Deputy Martin Ferris: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the cutbacks in the CSP project which means that Kerry respite care will lose €42,481 in grant funding, endangering the continued position of over 30 employees and the care provided for between 80 to 90 clients each week in their own homes and communities, and the huge blow that any cuts in jobs and provision will mean for the people concerned who are among the most vulnerable in society and who will be forced back into greater poverty and isolation as a consequence. An Ceann Comhairle: Having considered the matters raised, I do not consider them to be in order under Standing Order 32. Order of Business. Minister for Finance (Deputy Brian Lenihan): It is proposed to take No. a13, motion re membership of committees; No. b13, motion re referral of papers to the Joint Committee on Health and Children; No. 24, statements on the mid-west task force; No. 13, motion re proposal that Dáil Éireann notes the report of the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny, EU Scrutiny Report No. 29: COM (2009) 499, 500, 501, 502 & 503 — Draft legislative package on reforming the EU’s financial supervisory and regulatory framework; and No. 23, Planning and Develop- ment (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. a13 and b13 shall be decided without debate; the proceedings regarding No. 24 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2 p.m. today and the following arrangements shall apply: the 581 Order of 28 January 2010. Business [Deputy Brian Lenihan.] statements of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case, the statements of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case, Members may share time, and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed ten minutes; and the proceedings on No. 13 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3.30 p.m. today and the following arrangements shall apply: the speeches of the Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny and of the main spokespersons for the Government, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case, the speeches of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case, Members may share time, and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed ten minutes. An Ceann Comhairle: Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. a13 and b13 agreed to? Deputy Enda Kenny: I am glad the Minister for Finance is here today because I want to oppose the Order of Business. All the matters on this Order Business are important and rel- evant. However, the issue that struck people this morning was that of 70,000 mortgage holders with Permanent TSB who face an increase in their variable interest rate mortgages. They may just be the tip of an iceberg as the figure may well rise to 350,000 mortgage holders if other banks follow suit. The House discussed at considerable length, and with due diligence from the Minister for Finance, the financial emergency measures Bill, the bank guarantee and the entire NAMA legislation. Last year, the House bailed out the banks to the tune of €11 billion. A further €8 billion to €10 billion may be required by them this year. January has not even passed and at the first opportunity mortgage holders are about to be screwed again. Will the Minister for Finance, on behalf of the Government, tell these banks and lending societies that many people, who were seduced to take out mortgages over the past several years in the middle of a property boom, now face ruination? The primacy concern for many is the state of the economy. Many have paid health and pension levies, taken pay reductions and had all sorts of increases taken out of their wage packets. Now up to 350,000 face a mortgage interest rate increase. Is the Minister for Finance prepared to call in the banks today? Is he prepared to discuss the implications of the bank guarantee and European Central Bank rates? What can the Government do in response to this outrageous action that will affect so many people? This is a matter of serious concern for thousands across the country. Before we discuss other matters on the Order of Business, will the Minister respond to what I have raised? Deputy Eamon Gilmore: On behalf of the Labour Party, I too oppose the Order of Business. The Order of Business proposed by the Minister for Finance is “politics as usual”. However, householders and families were told by the newspapers this morning that another increase in mortgage interest rates is on the way. This is after several months in which one could not turn on a radio or open a newspaper without having someone saying the corner had been turned. People were told that while their incomes and circumstances were not as good as they were, prices were coming down and the economy was improving. We now know mortgages are set to increase again. For many families, these mortgages, given the excessive price they paid for their homes, are in excess of the property’s worth. There is no NAMA for householders who find themselves in negative equity or in difficulty meeting their mortgage repayments. 582 Order of 28 January 2010. Business As Deputy Kenny stated, we have had to deal in this House with proposals from the Govern- ment to assist the banks at a cost to date to the taxpayer of €11 billion. We have put in place a NAMA process for those who borrowed excessively and for the transfer of the properties of those who speculated in property development over a period. Not alone is there no relief or comfort for families who find themselves stretched to meet their mortgage repayments, they are now being told this morning their mortgages are to increase again. We cannot have business and politics as usual in this House while families throughout the country are faced with the type of news they got this morning. Deputy Brian Lenihan: The Order of Business is as laid before the House this morning. I did not hear an alternative proposal from the Opposition leaders who wish only to discuss banking matters. Let us be clear about one fact. Permanent TSB has not applied to join NAMA and it has not received one cent in capital from the State. Once again, Deputies Gilmore and Kenny referred to a collective entity called “the banks”. The particular news report on which this morning’s questions are based is correct, namely, the board of Permanent TSB is meeting today to consider its options, which are difficult. Deputies will be well aware that interest rates are at historically low levels. Permanent TSB issued a large number of tracker mortgages which means it cannot, at the interest rates charged by the European Central Bank make a profit on its mortgage book. Deputy Seán Barrett: That is not the fault of borrowers. That is a ridiculous argument. Deputy Brian Lenihan: Permanent TSB is not in receipt of any moneys from the State and has not applied to join the National Asset Management Agency. Let us leave aside that matter for a moment. Deputy Seán Barrett: It made a commercial decision. Deputy Brian Lenihan: Permanent TSB is and has paid money to the State for the benefit of the guarantee. The suggestion will, no doubt, be advanced in the next 24 hours that we should withdraw the State guarantee from the banks.