Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Government has already estimated that the total amount will be €80 billion to €90 billion. The Government has engaged, since the introduction of the bank guarantee, PricewaterhouseCoopers to examine the banks' accounts. We have had reports and studies on the banks and due diligence. The Government has had since September, which is a long time, to identify what the banks have or do not have and the extent of bad debts on their loan books and so on.

I agree with the Taoiseach on the need to create jobs. Whatever justification there may be for all of this property that was speculated on and what contribution it may potentially have made to the Irish economy in terms of jobs if it were here, I cannot see what will be the contribution to the Irish economy if the property is abroad------

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