Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I appreciate the Taoiseach should have time to speak and I propose we take ten minutes from the next section to make sure he has that time. I will be brief.

I got to my feet to speak because the Taoiseach adopted a position on the very high moral ground in his response to what I regard as a very friendly remark from Deputy Noonan who gave him a piece of friendly advice. The quote "Methinks the lady does protest too much" and cocks crowing three times come to mind very quickly.

Does the Taoiseach seriously expect the House or the country to believe that there is not a very close association between Fianna Fáil and the building industry? There is. The main funders for Fianna Fáil for a long period of time were building contractors and developers. That is a reality. The people who now owe money to the banks are the same people who used to be the funders of the party. That is why there is a suspicion in the wider public. I fully accept the Taoiseach's words in this House but there is a suspicion that there is a relationship between the actions the Government is taking and the fact that the people who bankrolled it are now in serious trouble. That is the reality in the real world. I accept the Taoiseach's word that is not what he is doing today and has no relationship to it.

Deputy Noonan said it is very necessary for the Taoiseach to explain in detail, as Deputy Burton said, to the country and the House exactly what is happening and what is being done with the banks. The Taoiseach said somebody else would do it next week but I think he should do it.

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