Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The arrangements that the Taoiseach has outlined are wholly unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. We are flying blind. A guarantee scheme was enacted last week but we still do not have the details or the scheme. The essential information which the public wants is not yet available.

The Taoiseach is uncertain about when this will be introduced. He speaks about introducing it next week and said that he would bring it in on the Wednesday following the Budget Statement. By all accounts, this is going to be no ordinary budget but even in a normal year the Wednesday and Thursday of budget week are busy days in terms of our parliamentary work. I do not know whether it can be done when the House sits on Tuesday or if we can sit on Monday. I certainly think, however, that lumping it in with the budget on Wednesday and Thursday is madness.

The Taoiseach has stated that it is being worked through, it is complicated and there is toing and froing with the Commission. How big is the problem? What is the toing and froing? Last week, we were given to understand there was no major problem with the Commission in regard to the scheme. If that much toing and froing is happening, a problem of some kind has arisen somewhere and we are not being informed. The arrangements which the Taoiseach outlined are most unsatisfactory. I would like to raise other issues but I first wish to hear more from the Taoiseach on this matter.

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