If I can say for the record, the Taoiseach's response to Deputy Murphy was pretty disgraceful.

Homeowners are bracing themselves for tomorrow when the European Central Bank, ECB, will sign off its seventh mortgage interest rate hike since July of last year. This means that tens of thousands of workers and families will pay hundreds of euro extra per month compared with last year. People were under pressure even before this additional hike. It is becoming harder for homeowners to absorb these increases. For now it is in fact unbearable. Incredibly, the response of the Government has been to do nothing. Last week, it voted down Sinn Féin's mortgage interest relief plan but did not present a plan of its own. In my view, it is not good enough for the Government to tell struggling homeowners, fleeced by hike after hike, that they are on their own. Will the Taoiseach tell us what action he will now take to support these families that are under huge pressure from spiralling mortgage costs?

I am not surprised the Deputy believes my earlier response to be disgraceful because she is another person who refuses to come into this House to answer questions. Accountability should not be just for Ministers. Questions have been raised about her party's finances-----

Time is running for the reply.

-----and about her party's links to organised crime and she will not come in here and make a statement and take questions.

You are a disgrace.

The time is running.

These are much more serious matters than what happened at the Bruff area committee 16 years ago and she refused to come in here and answer questions about her party's finances and her party's links to organised crime.

That is disgraceful.

It is not a surprise she would align herself with Deputy Murphy in this regard.

You shame your office.

Deputies, please.

You are an absolute disgrace.

Accountability should not just be for-----

You shame your office.

-----Ministers or people on the Government benches; it should be for all of us.

Taoiseach.

The Deputy demands accountability of others and evades it always when it relates to herself and her party, and that is a fact.

Hear, hear.

You are shameful, Leo.

Taoiseach, the time is running in relation to the issue. I am going to have to cut you off now and the issue has not been answered.

On the question, interest rates are set by the ECB-----

We are well aware of that.

-----as the Deputy will be aware. When it comes to the issue of mortgage interest relief, that can be considered only in the context of the budget. As I have said in the past in the House, we cannot be changing the income tax system every couple of months. It is best done at budget time and we will consider it in the wider context at that time.

Táimid thar am. We are out of time.