Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The facts are very serious regarding Anglo Irish Bank. On Anglo Irish Bank, we have new management and a designated chairman to take over as chairman from the current chairman. It will bring forward plans which we will discuss with the European Commission and come to a final view on the structural plan within a short timeframe. We have to do that. We are more than available to answer inquiries from the European Commission. We have made our own inquiries in this matter. This is a serious position. It is clear that, as I indicated on Tuesday, we would all like to see the back of this institution, but it is not possible. The scale of the deposits, the exposures to the euro system and the exposures to senior debt are extensive and are in the order of €70 billion. That is a very serous liability to ask the taxpayer to pick up next week. Nobody in this House——

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