Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

If the Deputy bears with me for a moment, there is no market sensitivity attached to that operation because it would be done exclusively with State moneys. It would necessarily have to be disclosed by me because it would emerge immediately and in any event, in the Exchequer accounts in a matter of days. I wish to make one further point in reply to Deputy O'Shea, who grasped my point. I took great care in drafting this legislation to restrict the scope of possible investment to a credit institution listed on the Stock Exchange. I did so because, in addition to the safeguards that exist in regard to the disbursement of public moneys, there are also substantial Stock Exchange safeguards relating to disclosure in respect of investment in credit institutions. Were we required to invest in a building society, for example, that would have to be done outside the immediate context of this legislation.

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