Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Duffy and his colleagues from AIB and thank him for all of the information he sent which we have had the opportunity to go through in preparation for the meeting. As I am limited in time, I will move as quickly as I can through the key issues I want to raise.

As Mr. Duffy will be aware, the State has injected €20.7 billion into AIB and the EBS in the past few years. When can we expect to get some of this money back? The Government is involved in negotiations which potentially may involve using the European Stability Mechanism to take equity stakes in the banks that the State has already recapitalised.

As CEO of the bank, does he have any view on that issue? Does he believe it is the right strategic direction for AIB or does he have alternative proposals such as getting the bank to profitability and, ultimately, selling an equity stake by another means?