Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I appreciate the opportunity to contribute briefly. First, putting the issue of Mr. Drumm's personal debts aside, does the Minister intend to pursue him in respect of the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank? If so, will he consider extradition proceedings?

Second, the most striking feature of the financial debacle was the wildly inaccurate information that was forthcoming from the private banking sector and the official government sector. I am sure the information supplied to the Minister on 28 and 29 September differs from how he perceives the situation now, but what of the regulatory system, be it the Financial Regulator, the Central Bank or the banks, and the Department of Finance's figures, which the Minister cited in the House? I will not even mention the glowing concept of NAMA, the figures shown to party spokespersons this week that were close to double the projected figures or the fact that, when the Taoiseach was trying to discuss estimates and projections today, he was all over the shop and did not know whether he was coming or going. The Minister has obviously learned whether to treat the compilation of figures with a grain of salt, but has he put in place any mechanism within his Department and elsewhere to ensure the figures we get stand up?

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