Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

When Mr. Bo Lundgren, whom the Government praised to the skies, visited Dublin some months ago he made three points. He suggested one should not pay more than market value, which means we should not pay a 10% or 15% long-term economic value premium. He then suggested that when a country finds itself in a grave position, as Sweden did at one time, the appropriate and best recourse was temporary nationalisation of important institutions. The most important issue, however, was to have transparency so as to enable those in opposition to have a clear understanding of what was happening.

On the nine o'clock news last night I watched bankers walk up Merrion Street and enter the Minister's office to receive a briefing in which they were told the real figures. I felt a sense of rage when I saw the clip given the decision to refuse my requests to the Minister's office, which I made as an Opposition spokesperson yesterday and the day before, that I receive a briefing on an embargoed basis. The Labour Party, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin have always honoured such embargoes. We first received the information when the Minister addressed the House. As we try to solve a problem that risks overwhelming the country, there is something wrong when the Minister chooses to call in the bankers, rather than Deputy Bruton or me, for a cosy fireside chat. On the news last night we saw civil servants pulling down the window blind in the Minister's office when his face came into view.

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