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

The problem is that we know these assets will be sold on to a third party. We do not have that knowledge in respect of the other assets in Bank of Ireland. If that bank was to sell a big loan book, Mr. Mac Donncha can rest assured that Opposition Deputies, at least, would argue that the same protections should be put in place. It stretches our generosity to ask us to facilitate the transfer of assets in the knowledge that they will be sold to a third party which could be unregulated and it is not something I am willing to approve. Mr. Mac Donncha still has not answered my question on why we cannot include a provision preventing the transfer of the assets. That would not address the broader issue but we know this will happen soon after the legislation is passed. The excuses given on the other transaction related to the role of the special liquidator and potential court cases. There is no such excuse in this context.