Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I understand the committee on economic renewal is supposed to be a key operator in terms of the cross-cutting, interdepartmental Cabinet committees. Given the economic crisis and weight of the budgetary and banking matters that must be addressed, does the Taoiseach believe it is appropriate to hold a meeting every two and a half months or have a two and a half month summer break? The last time the Taoiseach answered questions on the committee on economic renewal, it did not appear that this committee had any function in the banking crisis. Does it have a function in the banking crisis? When it meets, will it have referred to it, the fact that JP Morgan has indicated that Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland will need capitalisation of €17 billion and Anglo Irish Bank, which is a dead bank, will need a further €6 billion? Is the banking issue discussed by this committee when it meets? In regard to the budgetary situation, will the committee have an opportunity to discuss the McCarthy report and, particularly, the Commission on Taxation report? Is that parked, as the Taoiseach indicated in remarks he made a couple of weeks ago?

In regard to the counterpart committee-----

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