Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

On whether there is a need for a banking commission or forum, the Minister for Finance has no plans for such a commission. The investigations under way into the Allied Irish Banks issues need to be completed as speedily as possible so that all the interested parties — the institutions concerned, the regulators, the Government and the Oireachtas — can take the appropriate steps based on the lessons learned.

On the issues about previous difficulties that have arisen with the bank, and two celebrated episodes were referred to by the Deputy, the Oireachtas put legislation in place last year to empower the authority and the regulator to deal with this matter.

On whether compliance systems and probity checks should be put in place, we have to see a rapid conclusion to this investigation before we draw conclusions from it. In any event, it is a matter in the first instance for the authority and the regulator, not the Minister.

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