Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Is the Minister of State saying that the Government will take no interest in how the bank spends €13 million of Irish taxpayers' money? This is exactly the blank cheque phenomenon. The Minister of State, Deputy Lenihan, was crass enough to criticise organisations like Trócaire and Concern for spending money on advocacy in this country. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. May I make a positive suggestion to the Minister of State and the Tánaiste? In the run-up to Christmas, he should consider asking the bank to support and sustain Irish-born children who are being deported from this country along with their failed asylum seeker parents and who will find themselves in very difficult economic circumstances when they return to their parents' country of origin.

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