The good deposits in Anglo Irish Bank should be moved to AIB as a State bank which is now nationalised. This would help with its recapitalisation. AIB must then become a proper State bank rather than a bank which we have bailed out. It must return to focus on the more traditional banking functions of minding people's money and providing credit flows to the real economy. The bank guarantee which the Minister extended on 30 September must be abolished. Why should the taxpayer suffer the consequences of the reckless gambling, speculation and trading of others? Why should they suffer the consequences of poor management and grievances? The cost to the taxpayer of bailing out the banks is at least €50 billion. The Government is spending €29 billion on Anglo Irish Bank and €5.4 billion on Irish Nationwide. The Government is borrowing this money and the interest charged is likely to accumulate to €17 billion over ten years, bringing the total cost to the Government to €51.4 billion.

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