Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am sure the Taoiseach will acknowledge the constructive approach from this side of the House in regard to the protection of Irish jobs and, in particular, small businesses. It is a little more than three weeks since I initially asked about the Government's requirement to introduce a scheme of recapitalisation for the banking system to ensure the protection of Irish jobs and the availability of credit to small businesses.

The Taoiseach in his response yesterday indicated a range of matters. In view of reports today of meetings between the Minister for Finance and Financial Regulator will he accept it is now not a matter of if the Government will introduce a recapitalisation programme but of when and in what format this will be done? In the interests of thousands of small businesses, is the Government working towards a recapitalisation programme which will allow for credit to be extended to businesses to enable them survive and to protect thousands of Irish jobs?

See this speech in context