Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister gave a good reply. I was one of the people involved years ago in the deposit interest retention tax, DIRT, inquiry. During its course, we realised all the things that had gone wrong, that should not have gone wrong, and tried to prevent them from occurring. Ultimately, we were given assurances concerning good governance, good auditory practices, there being no repeat auditing and no handing out of business to the same auditors to get the same results in consecutive years or within a period of years. We were given a whole lot of other guarantees or understandings then as well.

As someone who was there then, and I think I am the only one left in the House, all I can say is that we had scarcely gone around the corner when moves were afoot to repeat the process. I recognise and acknowledge the Minister's reply. He gave an honest reply to my question. We must, however, be vigilant and fearless in the future to protect not only the financial institutions and the public but those who are inquiring as well. I say this because people can quickly come around and point the finger, as has happened, and ask how we missed things and where we were when it happened. These things happen. I accept the answer the Minister gave me and I recognise it entirely for what it is. We must, though, be vigilant in future again, notwithstanding all the structures we have put in place to prevent a recurrence of such a situation. I thank the Minister.