Sinn Féin TD for Dublin North West Dessie Ellis has welcomed the publication of the Constitutional Convention’s report recommending marriage equality.

Deputy Ellis said;

“The Constitutional Convention delegates delivered a decisive vote of 79% in favour of amending the constitution to provide for marriage equality last April.

“As this new report notes, over 1000 submissions lodged by citizens, advocacy groups and representative organisations were considered by the convention.

“The government must now consider the convention’s recommendation and provide a response within four months.

“Last month Labour leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he expects a referendum on marriage equality in 2014.

“Marriage equality will make a real difference to same sex couples and of course their children by providing equal legal protections for these families.

I personally look forward to campaign for this important step towards equality for LGBT people.”

Sinn Féin Dublin North West TD Dessie Ellis has demanded an explanation from Labour TD’s why they are protecting big bankers whilst doing nothing for the ever increasing numbers of struggling homeowners.

Deputy Ellis said the new Code of Conduct for mortgage arrears published today is best understood as part of a wider, coordinated attack on struggling homeowners.

Ellis said:

“We have heard the tapes revealing the arrogance of the former Anglo Chief Executive and the contempt the bank Chiefs had for the regulator, the Department of Finance and indeed the State.

“Homeowners outraged by the conduct of former Anglo executives are today facing a new Code of Conduct for mortgage arrears which abolishes the previous limit of three contacts per month from banks to customers in arrears.

“It introduces a three-month notice period before a bank moves to seek a repossession order or eight months for new arrears cases. The code of conduct is best understood as part of a wider, coordinated attack on struggling homeowners.

“In the context of Labour’s stance on the banks in opposition the question has to be asked why their Ministers allowed the Anglo boys who treated the State with such contempt remain in position for five years after the guarantee on salaries of €175,000 or more?

“Labour and Fine Gael have been in government for nearly two and half years yet not a single banker has gone to jail for bankrupting the State, but homeowners now face a new charter for harassment giving the Banks even greater powers to pressurise struggling homeowners.

“What the government is proposing is allowing a veto for banks, not a level playing field for home owners. That’s not even handed, its deeply unfair.

“Fine Gael and Labour allowed very senior bankers who had little regard for the State to remain in high paid positions. Not one of them has spent a day in prison. At the same time it’s response to the plight of struggling homeowners has been heartless.

“Last week the arrears figures increased for the fourteenth quarter in a row since September 2009. The numbers in arrears has now nearly doubled under the current government’s watch. Any initiative it has introduced has been on the side of the Banks. Why are Labour protecting the big bankers and doing nothing for the ever increasing numbers of struggling homeowners?”