Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I mark today as the day in which the Government took a further stake in Allied Irish Banks. It is somewhat like the way Sunningdale was for slow learners. Some one and a half years after the bank guarantee, finally the Government is getting around to taking in effect a majority stake in Allied Irish Banks. In that context and given its enhanced stakeholding in the bank, will the Tánaiste indicate the arrangements the Government is making to ensure credit flows to ordinary businesses?

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