Who is dishonest now? Who is dishonest now?

The Tánaiste will not answer the question about accountability.

The only person who is held accountable is the mother who cannot pay for her TV licence.

Do you know what is a slap in the face? The slap in the face is €450,000.

That is completely and utterly dishonest. It is completely and utterly dishonest and-----

----- the Tánaiste has nothing to say about accountability.

Yesterday the Central Bank confirmed that I was right in the claims I made to the Minister for Finance last week when I highlighted the fact that tens of thousands of home owners who had their loans sold to vulture funds were now exposed and unable to make complaints to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO, to receive compensation on foot of those complaints. For years, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - the previous Minister for Finance has just walked out - claimed that mortgage holders would lose none of…

The 3 February was an historic day. It was also a day full of hope. The restoration of the assembly and the appointment of a new Executive truly marks an opportunity for a better and shared future. I echo the words of the First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, that the restored assembly and new Executive have an opportunity to commit themselves to an ambitious agenda for change and to work in a spirt of co-operation and common cause, despite differences, to build a better future for all. That is the First Minister's com…

I listened with interest to the Minister's response. In fairness to her, she actually agrees with Sinn Féin, because she stated clearly in media interviews and articulated again today that the recommendation from the expert group established by the Government, which looked at all of the options for funding public service media and public service content, and having looked at all of them, including best practice internationally, it came down on one. The report ruled out every option except the option that Sinn Féin …

Nobody called a vote.

Tá tuarascáil eile foilsithe inniu a thaispeánann an teip iomlán ar pholasaí tithíochta an Rialtais. Taispeánann sé go gcaithfidh an Rialtas cosc a chur ar arduithe cíosa, cíos míosa a chur ar ais i bpócaí íocóirí cíosa na tíre seo agus tithe sóisialta agus tithe ar phraghas réasúnta a thógáil ar scála. Today there is another report that shows the disaster of the housing plan. It is a plan that now lies in tatters, with renters being fleeced and rents double-digit increases in counties right across the State. In ca…

I genuinely feel for the Minister in his trying to spin what is a terrible, terrible report. This report spells out in clear evidence to all of us that the Government’s housing policy is completely in tatters. New rents have gone up by 11% in the last year. That means that new rents, compared to the last time the RTB did this report, which was a year ago, are up by €1,960. This is on the Minister’s watch. The Minister speaks of existing rents, but in some cases in many counties existing rents have gone up by the do…

The Government's disastrous mismanagement of our health service hit a new low this week. A staggering 150 patients were on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick yesterday morning in what is being described as the worst day for the hospital in its history since 2006. Yesterday morning, the INMO recorded 710 patients on trolleys and without a bed in our hospitals. We know what is needed to end the trolley crisis. Our hospitals are short 1,000 beds and need 500 more each year to keep pace with demand. Officials in …

Will you fund the beds?

Why will you not fund the beds? That was the question.

The Minister obviously did not hear the question.

The Deputy is the Minister for Finance and he will not fund the beds.

Tógfaidh mé deich nóiméad agus tógfaidh mo chomhghleacaithe anseo cúig nóiméad an duine. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an Bhille seo a chur i láthair. Bunaíodh an FSPO anseo agus chuaigh sé i mbun a chuid oibre in 2018. The FSPO was established and began its operations in 2018. Its primary function is to receive, investigate and endeavour to resolve consumer complaints regarding the conduct of financial services and pension providers. Crucially, this is free of charge. The role of the ombudsman is so important. …

Before I come to the question, I have another question for the Minister. Given the deadline for parliamentary questions and that the report was published yesterday, I invite him to make some comments on my belief that Revenue should investigate the tax arrangements of the exit payments by RTÉ. We were not able to table questions on it because of the deadline. It is a significant issue, with almost €250,000 paid to ten individuals. There is a suggestion it should be examined and I ask the Minister to clarify his eng…

The proposal was put forward last autumn. The BPFI is pressurising the Department to make a decision on this issue. It speaks about the harm being caused and the distress to individuals. This is not the only issue on the table. Other issues relate to the ability of the homes to be mortgaged, which is something we all take for granted. Is it the case that the Government is giving a guarantee that the scheme it has put in place will result in a certificate of remediation, and it is absolutely the position these homes…