Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Does the Minister now regret that the proposal which was on the table on the night of the bank guarantee to nationalise Anglo Irish Bank because of its financial position was not taken up at that time and that, instead, Anglo Irish Bank was included in the guarantee and was in many ways the cause of fundamental damage to our reputation and to the two main banks, Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks? Second, does the Minister have a figure as to what the capital losses sustained by Anglo Irish Bank have been and whether the bank has in effect exhausted its capital?

Third, the Government was in effect considering guaranteeing bonds up to 2014 in certain instances - the Minister made reference to this in his Budget Statement but never elaborated on it. If Anglo Irish Bank has bonds due, does this mean, in effect, that the Minister has extended the guarantee period out to 2013, particularly for international bond holders? Will the Minister explain the impact of this for Anglo Irish Bank? Is it true some €30 billion or more of distressed assets are to be transferred from Anglo Irish Bank to be bailed out by NAMA? What is the story in that regard?

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