Mortgage rates - Kenny must take action

IF Bertie Ahern was the Teflon Taoiseach then his successor can look forward to being Skate-Rink Kenny if he persists with the attitude shown in his performance on mortgage interest rates.

Despite promises to be the party of the negative equity generation, despite pledges to bring the banks to heel and despite solemn-toned declarations that lenders “should” pass on rate cuts to variable mortgage customers, the Government has proven it talks a good talk but falls flat on its backside when walking the walk.

Enda Kenny’s wide-eyed response to questions about how he intended to make banks do the decent thing by their customers was spectacular in its slipperiness.