Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I was intrigued by the Minister's statement last night when he was explaining what he was doing and why he was excluding certain commercial bodies. He said it was because the pay of those bodies is funded through their own commercial efforts. That is some explanation as to why Anglo Irish Bank is being excluded. Anglo Irish Bank is on a drip-feed from the taxpayer. It would not be in existence but for the taxpayer. It is wrong to pretend that in some way a distinction is being drawn because this company is standing on its own two feet, exercising its commercial muscle and is subject, as the Minister said, to the disciplines of the market.

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