Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

First, that answer is inadequate given the difficulties faced by the Irish banking sector and because, at present, banks in effect are cutting off the pipelines of credit to many small, medium and large businesses, as well as to many individual borrowers, including those who seek to purchase homes. This is about Main Street and not our equivalent of Wall Street. The Minister only appears concerned about the Irish equivalent of Wall Street. He is not concerned about what is happening to local businesses. Will the Minister publish the details of the terms of reference of the PriceWaterhouseCoopers review, in which the Financial Regulator stated he intended to drill down deep into the balance sheets of Irish banks? The Minister should provide some evidence of what such drilling comprises and what it covers. The reason I stated the Minister's answer is dishonest is that I wish to address the gaps in his answer.

See this speech in context