Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

The Government is the winner in this deal. There is a substantial discount from the institutions. The taxpayer will be the beneficiary and it is not far down the road because the world economy is moving forward. That means Ireland's very open economy will move in the same direction. Listening to the doom and gloom about what is happening and will happen is rather alarming.

It takes two people to make a sale. That will happen here. I hope my party and the party in office with us will reap the rewards of this great success. I have no doubt that it will be a success. Many of the properties are outside this country; 6% are in Northern Ireland and approximately 24% in other countries. I am rather disappointed with Sinn Féin's attitude to this scheme. It has done well out of the banks. The banks were always generous to Sinn Féin, but the party is knocking them heavily now.

See this speech in context