The Tánaiste might be playing little games with Sinn Féin, but I want to go back to the banks. When is this Government going to deal with the banks? The Government removed the moratorium and thousands of small businesses and homeowners are now being threatened and intimidated. Many of them are trying to engage with the banks but they can get no clarity on what is going to happen going forward. Some of those who are able to pay want to pay a lesser amount now because of the lack of income.

European interest rates are way lower and the mortgage rates are twice as high here. When is the Government going to deal with the banks? We bailed them out. It is time that they respected the pandemic and the fact that we are all in it together. The banks are in it as well. They have to deal with people sensitively and appropriately and not terrorise them, which is what they are doing. In the middle of a pandemic, they are driving them over the brink with letters, demands for money and a lack of engagement with customers.

I thank the Deputy.

It is time that the banks played their part and that the Government showed some interest in making that happen.

The Government is engaging with the banks all the time. Sometimes the engagement is very robust. I can tell the Deputy that for certain, having been present at some of the meetings. In circumstances where people cannot pay a business loan or a mortgage because of the effect of Covid on their income, mortgage breaks and loan breaks will be available. Other solutions such as interest-only repayments or reduced payments might also be made available. That commitment is there from the banks. It is not a blanket approach but it does apply where somebody genuinely cannot pay as a consequence of his or her income being affected by Covid.

Mortgage rates being higher in Ireland is a separate issue. It is the case that mortgage rates in Ireland are substantially higher than they are in the rest of the EU. They are coming down and they should come down further. We must appreciate that there are two significant differences between Ireland and the rest of the European Union. Bank charges are different. For example, when one sees very low rates in Denmark or Germany, what one does not see is the fact that people are charged in a different way.

We are over time. I thank the Tánaiste.

The higher charge results in a lower interest rate. The second difference is the fact that we in Ireland, for very good reason, make it very hard for a bank to repossess a house and that has an impact on mortgage rates.

We are way over time.

Even the European banks that provide mortgages here add on a premium for that reason.

I ask for the Tánaiste's co-operation. I know it is difficult, but a number of Deputies are waiting to get in, so I urge Members to be brief.