Would it be possible to have a debate on the wider housing market, particularly investment properties? I noted the Governor of the Central Bank's recent comments, in which he advocated wholesale repossession of buy-to-let properties. We all know there are significant levels of mortgage arrears on buy-to-let properties and I have publicly stated it is unfair the non-principal private residence tax should be levied on landlords for a full year, with the new residential property tax for the other half of the year. The most recent reports from daft.ie show that rents are rising, particularly in urban areas, by up to 6%. We know from the evidence of organisations working in the field that people in receipt of rent supplement are digging into their social welfare benefits to pay these increased rents and we have serious issue with the payment of rent supplement, which is not keeping up with rents being demanded. This the opposite of upward-only rent reviews, in that every successive Minister, including the current Minister, has come in and dropped the rate of support for tenants. This is an important aspect of the housing market and requires a more holistic approach than looking to the Department of Finance or the Department of Social Protection. We stand at a crossroads in the housing market, particularly the buy-to-let market. We must give this some serious attention.

We can talk in the abstract about the housing market, but the simple fact is that an enormous number of people simply cannot pay. They have been squeezed dry. I was delighted to hear Senator Marc MacSharry fulminate on this subject and I hope Fianna Fáil will give a commitment that at the next election that it will revoke this grossly unjust tax.

Not a chance.

It might if it is going into government with Sinn Féin.

I welcome the Caritas report. I am sometimes critical of political aspects of the Vatican, but I salute the Roman Catholic Church, in particular, for this wonderful report over the entire range of European countries worst affect by austerity. It shows clearly that austerity does not work and that it has introduced structural unemployment and structural poverty. We are told the property tax will be a local tax that will go back into the local economy. Who believes that? It is a load of rubbish because we are already paying for these services. We pay for refuse, the roads through car tax, and now we will be paying for water. What is left? It is a tissue of nonsense. This is wrong, stupid and immoral and I am making up a checklist and will add to it every time the Government does something I regard as wrong and immoral, a checklist of what we are expected to celebrate for the centenary of the 1916 Rising, our glorious revolution: soup kitchens, children in the little hedge schools being told to jump up and down to keep warm because there is no heating, evictions, and now people being financially punished for improving their homes. To add to the insult, the most un-Irish measure of all, people's neighbours are being induced by monetary reward to inform on them. Where is the spirit of Michael Davitt and James Fintan Lalor?

I hope the Senator is writing-----

I wish the Senator would shout louder; I cannot hear her.

I will talk to the Senator later.

Senator Marc MacSharry deserves marks for doing so many things so well, including anger. I am disappointed he is upset. On the question of mortgage arrears, we are all aware of their level and acknowledge that the banks have been behind the curve in dealing with it. They now have the tools and have taken on hundreds of extra staff to deal with the matter. The Governor the Central Bank has become more engaged with the issue and the Central Bank which has the power to deal with it is putting pressure on the banks. The important thing to many people - many of them have not dealt with this issue properly - is that they contact their financial adviser or bank. There is consideration and the banks must deal with this issue and there will be movement. That is a hopeful sign.

Will they pay the property tax for them also?

That is a separate matter.