I support Senator Aideen Hayden’s comments on the mortgage arrears crisis. While a full debate in the House will not resolve the issue, the presence of the Minister for Finance and a debate would be helpful. This request was made some time ago. It would be appropriate for him to give a favourable response soon.

I also support Senator John Gilroy’s comments on our sometimes selective presentation of our shared history on this island, which comments are appropriate as we plan for the centenary of the 1916 Rising and beyond. Almost nine years ago I asked in this House that we have a detailed and properly planned run-in to the 1916 Rising centenary commemorations because of the sensitivity surrounding them. The Government is getting the balance as right as it can. It is a challenge to us all in this House and to the public to have an open mind about our history and not to be as judgmental as we can sometimes be. Whether citizens died on O’Connell Street or soldiers died in Gallipoli, they were all Irish and deserve to be remembered equally.

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell raised the issue of Siteserv. I think it was Peter Mandelson who, when advising Tony Blair, pointed out that if an issue remained on the front page of the newspapers for three or four days, it was a serious political issue. This is becoming an issue which requires full disclosure and debate. While the Comptroller and Auditor General may have a role, I heard the view expressed that legislation would have to be passed to enable him or his office to inquire into Siteserv. Ministers can make very clear, concise statements in these Houses on current events. It would be helpful and appropriate if the Minister in question would come to this or the other House to give the history of the sale from his perspective. Public confidence needs to be restored on commercial decisions where there was a political involvement. The saga of the sale of Siteserv needs to be clarified. It involves taxpayers’ money. There was a significant write-down and the taxpayer is funding the deficit. Clarity and full disclosure of information are required.

Senator Paschal Mooney spoke about variable mortgage interest rates. He should not believe everything he reads in the newspapers, as it is not good for anyone to believe everything. However, I take on board what he says about one newspaper claiming credit for AIB reducing its rates, which is a little far-fetched. In its statement of priorities the Government recognises that promoting competition by encouraging new entrants to the banking sector is required to put downward pressure on interest rates for variable rate mortgage customers, new and existing. The actions taken by the Government to promote competition in the banking sector include the establishment of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, the credit guarantee scheme and amendment of section 149 of the Consumer Credit Act 1995 to encourage new entrants to the financial sector. The mortgage interest rates independent financial institutions operating in Ireland charge to customers are determined as a result of commercial decisions by the institutions concerned. The Minister for Finance and the Central Bank do not have a statutory role in setting the mortgage interest rates charged.

As part of the Central Bank’s work on the issue of mortgage arrears, lenders were asked to consider all avenues to help customers in arrears, including interest rate reductions. Regulation of interest rates remains a policy area under review and has been the subject of correspondence between the Department of Finance and the Central Bank. At a recent meeting between the Minister for Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank the issue of mortgage interest rates was discussed. The Governor provided an update on ongoing work that he and his officials were carrying out on the standard variable rates charged by lenders. The Governor and the Minister noted that the standard variable rates charged in Ireland were higher than in any other euro area country and had not fallen in line with European Central Bank wholesale rates. The Central Bank will continue to research the reason this is the case and will publish results shortly. The Governor will update the Minister on progress in due course.

As Senator Paul Coghlan and others stated, the Government will have its own suite of additional measures which will be announced soon. I hope that when these measures are announced, we can invite the Minister for Finance to come to the House to explain the position and have the debate on mortgage arrears and the banking sector that has been requested numerous times.

Senator Paschal Mooney and several other Senators, including Senators John Gilroy and Paul Bradford, asked us to remember the approximately 4,000 Irishmen who had lost their lives in the First World War at Gallipoli. Senator John Gilroy also spoke about the fallen in the 1916 Rising and recalled the complexity of our history. There is a need for balanced comment on the issue. I am sure we will all remember the Irishmen who died in the 1916 Rising, Gallipoli and elsewhere during the First World War.

Senators Ivana Bacik and Michael Mullins welcomed the appointment of the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, as Minister of State with responsibility for the drugs strategy. Members on the other side of the House asked several times for a designated Minister of State to deal with the matter. Everyone will be pleased, therefore, that the responsibility will rest with the Minister of State. We will hear statements on the drugs strategy with either the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, or the Minister of State when the drugs and alcohol briefs have been newly assigned by the second week of May.

Senator Ivana Bacik also spoke about the plight of migrants seeking to enter Europe. I am sure the problems facing so many migrants will be discussed at the EU summit today.

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Finance that the Comptroller and Auditor General was to investigate the Siteserv issue, on which Senator Paul Bradford also commented and on which I gave a comprehensive reply yesterday.

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell also proposed an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Education and Skills come to the House today for a debate on the closure of a school in County Donegal. I suggest the Senator table the issue for discussion in the Commencement debate to enable the Minister to come to the House to give a reply.

Senator Hildegarde Naughton welcomed the planning application submitted by Apple for the data centre near Athenry. There is no doubt that this is an exciting development for County Galway, the west and the country as a whole. It is hoped planning permission will be granted in early course and that this major development will be up and running soon.

Senator Diarmuid Wilson spoke about variable mortgage interest rates, an issue on which I have responded and one about which Senators Paul Coghlan and Aideen Hayden also spoke. The work done by Oireachtas committees is not often recognised. I take the opportunity, therefore, to pay tribute to the finance committee, of which Senator Aideen Hayden is Vice Chairman, for its work on this issue. I wish all members of the committee well in their endeavours in their querying of the other banks as they appear before it in the coming weeks. The committee will probably have more difficulty with them than they had in dealing with the representatives of AIB.

Senator Feargal Quinn spoke about encouraging those involved in tourism and overcoming local challenges that arise from time to time. That is an important point, as people often object to various aspects of tourism development. It is important from a national point of view that we overcome these challenges. We have been very successful in promoting our tourism product, but we cannot rest on or laurels. We must continue to develop the wonderful product we have on offer in this country.

I note the Senator's point on businesses not being equipped to trade online, an issue on which the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Murphy, recently made a statement. There is a need for businesses to become more involved in online trading in the context of their own development.

I do not propose to accept the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Gerard P. Craughwell.