Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The Minister may wish to look at the newspaper records and listen to the recorded conversation when the then Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, described the former chairman of the bank as his friend Seanie when they were on the same platform. It would inform the Minister of all he needs to know about the closeness of those circles.

Civil and public servants are realistic. They want to see the unfair pensions levy attaching to low-paid public servants addressed. They also want to see proportionality. They will be paying the levy, in part, to bail out the banks. They want to see action taken to deal with the wrongdoing in Anglo Irish Bank.

The Minister's invitation to say this outside the House is accepted. I have said it inside and outside the House on many occasions and will continue to do so until such time as the wrongs Anglo Irish Bank has inflicted on the Exchequer are addressed and the moneys recovered and restored to the taxpayer and public services. The Minister has a cheek to threaten me in that manner.

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