Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

The Government is adopting another piece of Fine Gael policy. Does the Minister remember the number of times we asked when he would replace the directors of AIB? Does he remember our arguing that he should not have sanctioned an internal appointment to the role of chief executive but should have insisted on an outside person? I am glad he has moved to that position. However, when I last looked, 60% of the directors who were in AIB when the bad decisions were made were still in place. There was something similar in Bank of Ireland. They should be all cleared out. I am not saying they are culpable but it happened on their watch. When the Minister's friends sitting behind him face the electorate, although they are not personally culpable they are still going to get shot.

See this speech in context