Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I want to know if the fraud squad will investigate the banks because they have dragged this country down to its current level. Last week a man was caught working while drawing the dole and he is now in Loughlin House. Thanks to the banks, the country is almost at a standstill. Where was the Financial Regulator and the Governor of the Central Bank? These are people in the quangos that we set up and they did not do their job. Nor did the officials in the Department of Finance.

How could we be in this state again? This is not the first time we have saved the banks. I have been a Member of this House a relatively short time but it is not too many years ago when we had to come in here and save AIB and PMPA. It is not too long ago that the taxpayer had to shoulder the enormous costs relating to beef exports. I listened to Deputy Treacy talking about the wonderful job done by the banks. They should all be in jail for what they have done to this country and its young people.

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