Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not have an issue with the substantive issue of the agreement brokered by Greece, whereby the interest on loans extended to Greece by member states would be reimbursed to the Greek authorities. I do not think that other member states should be profiting from loans advanced to Greece. However, I do have a difficulty with inserting an amendment into this legislation on Report Stage, which is inappropriate, in my view. This is not the appropriate place to underpin a payment to the ESM and via the ESM to the Greek authorities. It should also not be put forward on Report Stage. This is a Credit Reporting Bill which has received broad party support across the House. We will deal with the amendment when it comes before us. We can draft amendments very simply or draw up a short, stand-alone Bill to deal with the issue to which the Deputy referred. I do not think this legislation is the place for such an amendment. It does not sit within the Bill. The Credit Reporting Bill is very clear and comprehensive. It is good legislation but providing for a payment to the Greek authorities through the ESM does not fit within the scope of the Bill. I suggest to Deputy Hayes that we should do that in a different way.