Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be quick. In regard to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI - a wonderful development - will the Minister of State assure us that people who were in distress previously, especially those with difficulties in the construction sector and particularly in Cavan-Monaghan, will not be the victim of those historic difficulties? Will he assure us there will be flexibility in regard to how the SBCI will work in order that it will allow these people get up and going again? If their business case and plan stands up, this should be the issue rather than their history, because it was through no fault of their own that a number of them had difficulties. I got a disturbing report that this might not be the case, so would like assurance from the Minister of State that the report was wrong.

Will the Minister of State specify why we are going for the 0.3% rather than the 0.6% reduction in our structural deficit? I assume that is to stimulate the economy and to generate more revenue, but I would like to hear an explanation.

The Minister of State said we have great relations with the United Kingdom and we want to keep that. We want to use our diplomacy to try to keep the UK within the European Union. I represent a Border constituency and it would be remiss of me not to raise an issue of concern. This is not something that should prejudice the good relations between two states that respect each other. Will the Minister of State use his good offices with his counterparts in the United Kingdom to secure a situation where the reports of the dreadful and horrific collusion during the conflict in Northern Ireland - reports we got this week from RTE and previously from the BBC "Panorama" programme - are dealt with? Will he ensure the reports are addressed and that the British Government sets up the necessary inquiries and provides the evidence to get a resolution and closure? I do not believe it would prejudice the Minister of State's good work to raise that.