Enda Kenny says committee will block Dáil bills

Enda Kenny has said opposition attempts to embarrass the Government by passing Dáil bills could be blocked under new reforms set to be introduced next week.

It comes after a Fianna Fáil bill on variable mortgage rates was passed last night in the Dáil with support from a number of other parties, meaning the first legislative defeat for the minority government.

The bill tabled by Michael McGrath aims to give more power to the Central Bank to reduce variable mortgage rates.

The debate ended with a massive climb-down from the Government, with Mr Noonan deciding not to press ahead an amendment which would have delayed the bill for six months.

Fine Gael also opted not to vote against the bill and it was passed to applause from the Fianna Fáil benches.

But last night Mr Kenny said even if his party loses key Dáil votes, any legislation will still have to be cleared by a new Oireachtas body.

Speaking in Washington DC as part of a two-day US visit, Mr Kenny admitted his party will lose more Dáil votes because it does not have control of parliament in the new government set up.

However, he said, despite the clear risk to the stability of the Government, new “pre-legislative scrutiny” rules mean some of these bills will still be blocked — despite receiving the backing of the majority of TDs.

“I can’t direct that the Fianna Fáil party do not put their bill. That is what a minority government is about.

“But we are the majority party in the Government and we have to stand up for what we believe in government also, outside the conditions of the agreements that we have both with the Fianna Fáil party and the Programme for Government,” Mr Kenny said.

Asked about Fianna Fáil’s Bill, which is attempting to lower the cost of variable rate mortgages, Mr Kenny said the Central Bank has already made it clear it does not want additional powers to tackle the issue.

The Labour Party and Sinn Féin both supported the Fianna Fáil Bill last night as did the Social Democrats.

Referring to Michael Noonan as the “Minister for Banking”, Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien said the previous government had acted as a “cheerleader for the banks”.

Robert Troy of Fianna Fáil asked Fine Gael to withdraw their amendment to let the bill be passed through.

Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats said: “There has been a real feeling of unfairness that decisions that have been made have been made in favour of the banks at the expense of some of their customers.

“In terms of the variable interest rate there is a big feeling of unfairness, that very often threatened the affordability of the property that families are living in.”

The Green party said they supported the aims and objectives of the proposed law but could not support such a “flawed” piece of legislation.