Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On 20 January I asked specifically of the Minister for Finance if he had other information he was not sharing with the Deputies on the Opposition benches, whom he was asking to buy a pig in a poke. He was asking us to sign up to the expenditure of public moneys and the exposure of the public finances to what I described as potentially a financial cesspit. That is exactly as it has proven to be. If the Minister had not proceeded as he did, after yesterday's exposure about Irish Life & Permanent the ass would have fallen out of Anglo Irish Bank and it would not be worth a button on the Stock Exchange this morning. That is a fact. It would be over and done with. Many people watching the situation would say today "Good riddance". There are strong opinions on this matter. The Minister for Finance was unable to give that assurance. He looked ashen-faced across the House in response to that and other questions posed. He clearly had critical information, and he had either personally decided to withhold it or had been gagged and prevented from sharing it with other Members of the House.

See this speech in context