Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

I believe the Minister was misled himself and I agree with Deputy Ross on this point. I do not think the Minister had the full facts on the night but that is the way the Parliament made its decision. We are in a situation now where, effectively, the banking policy of the previous Government has proved to be disastrous. They left Government without reconstructing and recapitalising the banks, again, probably because the Minister for Finance could not get the support of the Government at the end to take action. It was left to us to do it and we have done it. We now have two pillar banks which are working properly and they are lending to small business again-----

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