Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

----- which is why I have made very clear to the Deputy, and I will do so again, that a fundamental element of the relationship the State has with banks is that we have to respect their commercial independence. Two banks have already left our country. We hope the three banks we have will be sustainable and will meet the needs of our economy in the years to come. Any sense at all that I can direct those banks to be involved in commercial decisions, and that I am involved in them, is a danger to the ability of the banks to get the investment I want them to have in order to lend and support jobs in our country. This goes back to the point that we made it very clear that this was a commercial decision by the bank. We just made it clear that it was aware of the reaction that was under way.