Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is true and there is no denying it, and what happened here is absolutely where highly experienced, skilled and expert people did succeed in establishing one particular fact, namely that a €1 million bonus was paid out after the legislation went through this House.

The Taoiseach was Minister for Finance when we debated the nursing homes Bill here. As Deputy O'Dowd dealt at the time with the range of elderly people who were frightened and terrified in their health institutions, the Government, because it wanted to do it, was able to put through legislation as a principle and make it retrospective. The amendment tabled for Fine Gael by Deputy Bruton was to the effect that no dividend, no bonus or any other moneys should be paid to individuals in this regard. If it was possible to bring legislation before the House and make it retrospective where elderly people were concerned and frightened out of their wits about being charged for their stay in long-stay institutions, the same principle should apply now. The Taoiseach has one undisputed fact, that a €1 million bonus was paid. If he wants to follow the same principle, the amendment tabled by Deputy Bruton on behalf of Fine Gael is as relevant now as it was then. If the Taoiseach wishes, on behalf of the Government, I will give him time to make this amendment to the legislation. Then he will have authority, if he does not have it already, to take back this money that was paid out as a bonus.

Is the Taoiseach prepared to consider that? Is he prepared to take swift, appropriate and decisive action now and not have us waiting for another month to establish what we already know, namely, that a bonus of €1 million was paid out after the legislation went through here in a case that people find appalling and obscene? At a time when people are losing their jobs all over the country, where they fear that their houses will be repossessed, where they are being penalised with in excess of 20% interest on personal overdraft facilities and where they are being asked for huge amounts of money to change from fixed to variable mortgages, it is not fair and it is not just. This is not the kind of country that we need. The Taoiseach is in charge of the Government and he should act decisively now, and I will support him on that.

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