Leader’s response on mortgage code
The Leader says Members could have raised the mortgage code with the Finance Minister during the Central Bank Bill debate, but Opposition Senators insist that Bill was unrelated and the issue was excluded.
Senator Darragh O'Brien called for a debate on the code of conduct on mortgage arrears. There was a similar request last week, in response to which I indicated that Members would have a chance to raise the matter with the Minister for Finance when he attended the Chamber to take Second and Committee Stages of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill 2011.
Comment on this
That Bill deals with totally unrelated matters.
Comment on this
There was ample opportunity during that debate for Members who raised this issue on the Order of Business to outline their concerns with the Minister.
Comment on this
On a point of order, I participated in that debate on behalf of my party. As the Leader knows, the procedures of the House require that such debate be confined to the provisions of the Bill in question.
Comment on this
Is the Leader going to advise us to raise the issue on the Adjournment? Is that what it has come to?
Comment on this
The debate did not afford us an opportunity to discuss the code of conduct. For the Leader to claim it did-----
Comment on this
I have asked the Senator to resume his seat. The Leader to continue, without interruption.
Comment on this
The Bill to which the Leader referred has nothing to do with the code of conduct on mortgage arrears.
Comment on this
The Leader is claiming that we could have raised the issue with the Minister for Finance last week, but that is absolutely not the case. The Bill to which he referred has nothing to do with the code of conduct.
Comment on this
Senators had ample time to discuss the issue with the Minister. The code of conduct is devised by the Central Bank, which surely indicates that there was scope to discuss it during the debate on a Bill entitled the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill.
Comment on this
Is the Leader suggesting we use the time allocated today for Report Stage of that Bill to raise this issue with the Minister?