The Government established a special Cabinet committee on mortgage arrears. We have had the Keane report. There has been much soul-searching as part of the attempt to provide answers to the 118,000 people who are in significant mortgage arrears of over 90 days. The Irish Examiner summed up yesterday's rushed press conference very well when it referred to it as a "newsless news conference". Another columnist described it as "a very moving waste of time".

How many reports did the Deputy commission when he was in government?

In many ways, it sums up the Government's approach, which is really more about spin than about substance.

The Deputy is the King Kong of spin.

This serious issue affects people in mortgage arrears. I would like to mention something that was not announced yesterday. It did not merit a Government press release or press conference. Last week, the Minister, Deputy Burton, commenced a statutory instrument and laid it before the House. It was buried in Iris Oifigiúil. Essentially, it begins the phasing out and cutting of mortgage interest supplement, which is the most practical scheme that helps low-income families to avail of State support to keep the banks at bay and stay in their houses. Where is the social solidarity? The broken promise of burning the bondholders will get its final burial this week, when €1 billion is paid by the Taoiseach.

One would think the Deputy had never been in government.

Where is the social solidarity? How can the Labour Party stand over the phasing out and ending of the mortgage interest supplement scheme, which has been of benefit to 19,000 families?

How can the Deputy stand over what his party did in government?

We all know that figure has jumped significantly in the last two years.

Thanks to the Government of which the Deputy was a part.

It is likely to jump again. The low-income families that have been able to avail of this scheme will no longer be in a position to do so. They will have to deal with the banks first. They will have to make payments for 12 months before they will be considered for the mortgage interest supplement scheme. The Taoiseach briefed the banks yesterday, but he would not brief this House or the public on the details of the Bill.

That is rich.

We have tabled a notice asking for the statutory instrument in question to be annulled. Will the Taoiseach agree to annul the instrument, which will make it much more difficult for low-income families to apply for mortgage interest supplement relief in the future?

I am not interested in the speculation to which the Deputy has referred. Newspapers are entitled to write their reports as they see fit. That is their business.

Deputy O'Dea writes some of them.

He is job-sharing with the Sunday Independent.

Representatives of the Economic Management Council and the banks met each other yesterday evening. At that meeting, the banks did not receive any detail in addition to that provided when we announced that the Government had approved the personal insolvency legislation. Unlike meetings that were held in Government Buildings in the past, a full written account of this meeting will be available as a record of it for posterity.

Will there be a file on it or will it be shredded?

Corporal O'Dea is back.

The Taoiseach is well capable of looking after himself.

Bring back Dan Boyle.

I want Deputy Martin to understand that the mortgage arrears sub-committee has met six times in the last six or eight weeks to push this through to a conclusion. The legislation will be published and the details will be provided on Friday. I want to make it perfectly clear that this is not about people who cannot pay - it is about people who will not pay. The lenders do not have to wait for the legislation to be implemented before they start to sit down with their customers and borrowers to work out solutions. If the banks respond to the Keane report by actually pushing through the options and facilities that will be made available to them, the need for the personal insolvency legislation to be used will be greatly diminished. The statutory instrument mentioned by Deputy Martin arises from people entering into the mortgage arrears process within the Keane report. It is for that reason that the Minister initiated the statutory instrument. That will proceed.

Can the Taoiseach explain that again? His last comment-----

It is recommended in the Keane report.

I am not asking the Minister. The Taoiseach seems to be completely unaware-----

It is recommended in the Keane report.

It is not about the Keane report. It stems from the Social Welfare Act.

As per a recommendation in the Keane report.

It is commencing an order emanating from the Social Welfare Act. The Taoiseach does not seem to be aware of that. When he held his big press conference yesterday and all the lights and cameras were there-----

The Deputy would not read his own reports when he was in government.

It was called the action plan for mortgage arrears.

The Deputy was there for 15 years. He is like Peter Pan.

He seemed to be blissfully unaware about a very significant measure taken by the Minister for Social Protection which will restrict the ability of low-income families to access mortgage interest supplement relief, which is a very practical step-----

What did the Deputy do in government?

Do not be getting shirty about it because you know it hurts.

The altar boy mask is slipping.

These people over here know it hurts.

The only job the Deputy was after was Brian Cowen's job.

The Labour Party arm of the Government, in particular, promised that there would be social solidarity.

The Deputy is only a con artist.

I asked a very basic question of the Taoiseach.

He is only a con artist.

If the Deputy does not stop interrupting, he will go out.

I will repeat the basic question I asked the Taoiseach.

The Deputy is only codding the people.

Will he repeal the wrong decision that has been taken?

He is only a con artist.

I have told the Deputy to stay quiet.

The statutory instrument is a wrong decision. I think it should be repealed.

Will the Deputy put his question?

It is very difficult with the kind of heckling that is going on.

The Deputy ought to be ashamed of himself. He is a fraud.

In fairness, a Cheann Comhairle, I am doing my best to put the question.

A question, please, not a statement.

I am entitled to a minute.

You are not entitled to make a statement.

Here we go again.

You are entitled to a minute to ask a supplementary question.

I asked a basic question.

We cannot hear him.

I ask the Deputy to mind his own business.

It is likely that thousands of people will get into mortgage arrears in the coming weeks and months. What was, essentially, a very practical scheme has been cut and phased out.

Please ask your supplementary question.

That is the impact of the statutory instrument. I asked the Taoiseach if he will repeal that statutory instrument.

Thank you.

There were no press conferences about it but he should do it. It is the honourable and right thing to do by low income families who will bear the brunt of this decision It is not the banks or anybody else, but those families who will get into difficulty in the coming weeks and months.

It is the banks.

It is the banks which will get this money. This year it will cost about €50 million. This recommendation was made as part of the Keane report. It is an incentive for banks to sit down with their borrowers to work out solutions for people-----

A permanent solution.

-----who are getting into mortgage arrears.

The banks will retain the veto.

See you next week.

The Taoiseach could not answer that question yesterday.

There is no intention of repealing the statutory instrument. Under this system and for those in this category, the banks will be in receipt of €50 million of taxpayers' money.

The Taoiseach cannot answer any question.

The Deputy deliberately misunderstands.

The Minister might find something under a trolley.

Macho, with an altar boy's face.

Please go on making a show of yourselves. I call Deputy Adams.