Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I understand the Government is due to announce its recapitalisation programme today or tomorrow, certainly this week. First, within that recapitalisation programme, is the Taoiseach looking for guarantees that pools of money will be made available for mortgages for first-time buyers, for small and medium-sized enterprises and for sufficient funds to enable existing businesses that might be in distress to trade their way out of that?

Second, will he insist that remuneration levels for top executives will not be dealt with by percentage but will be capped? There are many people in this country who have expertise in the financial area and who would willingly work in the nation's interest for a capped level of remuneration, not a reduction of expenses, where salaries are still extraordinarily high by Irish standards.

Finally, I have continuing doubts about the consequences of putting €7 billion of taxpayers' money into a recapitalisation programme. While I called for such a programme last November as a forerunner of an operational banking system, this may not be the most prudent use of taxpayers' money and the Government could well find itself in a situation where it is coming back for more at some time in the future. Can the Taoiseach justify the Government's proposal to take €7 billion of taxpayers' money to bridge a gap that is clearly of unknown depth and unknown consequence?

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