We are spending approximately 80% of Dáil time this week on the spring statement but, in reality, we are just regurgitating material discussed at the last budget. For the past six months, we have underperformed dramatically, to be honest, in the delivery of what was set out in the programme for Government, which is over four years old now. I would have expected better statements and responses from the Government front benches, as many important issues have been totally forgotten or remain unaddressed.

Last night we had a justified three-hour debate after Deputy Stephen Donnelly initiated a discussion on the current house repossession crisis. Repossessions are rampant around the country and I do not have to reiterate what the Taoiseach is well aware of. The Government has had a very cosy relationship with the banks over the past couple of years in particular. This is the time to take off the kid gloves, as the Taoiseach and his Minister for Finance must tackle the problem head on. As we are here today, there are people who are being driven demented through no fault of their own. They were taken in with the wool pulled over their eyes in many respects because of the epidemic at the time which saw inflated house prices. Banks were giving 120% mortgages but many people were not even in secure jobs.

Will the Deputy put a question?

We got some platitudes last night in the statement from the Minister of State who was here. He is a very able man but we really needed the Taoiseach and senior Ministers.

Take off the kid gloves.

That would have showed respect for the motion before the House.

Get in there.

The Deputy states that he expected a better statement yesterday but I am not sure what the Deputy was expecting.

The Taoiseach was not sure either. He knows what he will get from the people.

The Government was perfectly clear that the statements made yesterday and today are not budgetary statements but they are realistic in setting out the parameters of the conversation we need to have in the Oireachtas about where we need the country to be and where we see it as far as 2020 and beyond. The spring statement is very clearly predicated on a set of policies that are working - and seen to be working - and if they were to be changed by any other party with an increase of corporation or income tax, the system would not work in the way we need it to for our people.

The Deputy mentioned two aspects relating to banks, distressed mortgages and variable mortgage interest rates. He also mentioned the relationship between the Government and banks. The Deputy knows that the Government does not set interest rates. There are a number of very serious problems with some mortgages in distress and there are serious problems with other mortgages still in arrears. Since the insolvency agency was established, the numbers being dealt with have not been as high as expected. None the less, over 110,000 mortgage accounts were in arrears and there have been negotiated settlements between those debtors and the banks in a satisfactory fashion. That is a great relief for those people. As I indicated before, the Government next week hopes to bring in a number of other options for dealing with these other cases that have been left aside for some time.

Approximately 115,000 mortgages were restructured in 2014, and I am sure that came as a great relief to the people involved. Over the next period, the Government hopes to deal with a number of other options that will assist mortgage holders still in distress with a number of other opportunities. With respect to variable mortgage interest rates, the Minister has confirmed that as Permanent TSB has had a valuation placed on it, with money raised for a proportion of that, he intends to call in representatives of major banks and explain on behalf of the Government the moral correctness of reducing variable interest rates in cases where the banks are borrowing money at a much cheaper rate than they are charging people with respect to the mortgage being paid. I understand that will happen in May.

The Minister should instruct the banks.

So the Taoiseach agrees with Deputy Tom Fleming. That is good.