Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader arrange for a statement to be made, perhaps by the Minister for Finance or whatever Minister is available in the near future, in regard to the "Prime Time" programme last night, particularly the fact that individual as opposed to institutional investors in tracker bonds have effectively been burned as a result of the liquidation of IBRC? The programme highlighted what appears to be a very sad case and one wonders how many more such cases there are, whether quite a few people were involved and what proposals the Government has to do something for these people. One wonders how we can have looked after the senior and junior bondholders worldwide when we rushed so quickly in the process of liquidation to burn an individual, as we saw last night. It is an important issue and, while I know there are other important and controversial issues to be dealt with today, I feel this is one that should not be passed over. I would appreciate it if the Minister could make a statement on the matter.

In agreeing with our leader's opposition to today's Order of Business, I make the point it does not serve the Leader's efforts well. I have said many times that, in my 11 years here, Senator Cummins has been the best Leader in the context of trying to use the Seanad space in a constructive way.