Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach told us that two different approaches to the Crimea situation were proposed at the summit. We know what the final agreement was but we do not know what stance Ireland took. I ask the Minister of State to clarify that issue.

The other issue is one that has been raised by my colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, in communication with the ECB President, Mr. Draghi. That sets out clearly the concerns of the ECB on the funding position of the Irish banks. Notwithstanding comments that are regularly made about the nature of the recovery that has taken place in the balance sheets of those banks, they are working through a considerable amount of distressed assets, and certain targets have been set by the Central Bank of Ireland in that regard. What still seems to be at the core of all of this is the retrospective recapitalisation, and nothing that I have read and none of the comments that have been made, either by the Minister of State, Deputy Donohoe, or the Taoiseach, would lead me to believe that we are any closer to that position being resolved. Clearly, it will be a requirement if the Government is serious about addressing the funding deficit that seems to exist.

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