I attended a very pleasant function this morning at which the Ceann Comhairle honoured Brother Kevin Crowley, the Capuchin friar, for the work he does with the homeless. What is the Tánaiste or the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government doing for the families who have found that their mortgages were sold off by Permanent TSB to vulture funds in recent times? Two members of a particular family in Tipperary work in the Defence Forces and one of them is very sick with cancer at the moment. They are scared stiff as to the protections they have. What protections do those families have? This Government will not build houses, yet is allowing these terrorist vulture funds - that is what they are - to purchase family homes and mortgages. The Government's attitude is to hell with the people. People like Brother Kevin and others are left to feed them. It is happening more and more, and it is a vicious circle. The Government has failed abysmally. What protection is being put in place for these families?

I have raised this matter on numerous occasions in the past. The Central Bank consolidation Bill could be a suitable vehicle on which to attach a specific item to deal with the matter, given that the banks were forgiven by the people and bailed out by the Government. It is now time for them to offer a similar accommodation to those who owe them money.

This is a significant issue. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, has responded in some detail to the issues which have already been raised about the transfer of mortgages from Permanent TSB to another service provider.

However, the Central Bank rules will continue to apply. We are also committed to introducing new legislation. The Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, has been central to the thinking behind that, which aims to protect people in their homes more effectively. The Deputy's accusation that the Government is not building houses is simply not true. We are seeing a dramatic increase-----