Yesterday, the Dail debated laws which would remove the right of banks to veto any insolvency arrangements.

Fianna Fáil claimed insolvency judges are sitting idle because banks are stopping cases from coming before them.

The government is set to vote against the bill tonight because it believes it could be unconstitutional.

The Taoiseach says he won't change the law on insolvencies to remove the veto from banks but he's admitted that banks are not doing enough to help customers who are two years or more behind on their mortgage repayments.

He told the Dail that around 50,000 mortgages were restructured in the last eighteen months.

David Hall, CEO of Irish Mortgage Holders Association, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning about the problems facing the government.

He told the show: "The numbers are frightening.

"Central Bank, banks and government have abandoned a cohort of people here that are significantly in debt."

Meanwhile, a senior Labour figure says proposals on cutting the bankruptcy period could get party backing later.

Deputy Willie Penrose has been working on the plans to bring it down to one year, after it was already cut to three years, from the original 12.

They're expected to be discussed at the parliamentary party meeting today.

Pat Rabbitte says the changes could be useful in people's dealings with banks: