Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Under the legislation passed by the House, the Minister for Finance has very extensive powers in regard to these matters. The House is expected to do some business in regard to these phenomenal sums of money in a manner couched in financial language, which many people will have difficulty in comprehending. Is it intended that the Minister for Finance or other Government speakers would set out the other options consider by the Government and Anglo Irish Bank in regard to its future?

Will anyone in Government refer to the impact of putting the same resources into a jobs stimulus to deal with real, crucial infrastructure, for example, in water, broadband or renewables? Is there a proposition that the Government would spell out proposed watertight lending facilities for small business and SME's, small and medium sized enterprises? Is there to be any detail provided by the Government for the distressed mortgage payers who, sadly, are to have a further €27,000 lumped on them by this proposal?

If we are to hold a rational discussion about something this critical, the impact of which will last for years, then the House should be able to do its duty. If the people are expected to invest in these banks then we should be able to see the plan and the figures that demonstrate, from a Government perspective, how that will be paid back and recouped by the taxpayer. The Minister for Finance indicated he would pursue all these debtors for every cent borrowed.

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