Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Deputy Ó Caoláin can give it but he cannot take it.

I have three questions which I ask the Minister for Finance to address. When the IMF went into Greece, the rate of interest on which the loan facility was given was 5%. The Minister must address what exactly we will pay for this package of funds. Ireland is not Greece. The scale of the economic challenge and the economic restructuring in Greece is substantially different from the scale of restructuring here. Now that the IMF has come in, it would be logical that some countenance be given to the fact that over the past two years, approximately €14 billion has been taken out of the economy and very severe adjustments have been made to public sector pay. Will that be taken into consideration when the rate of interest on which this loan facility will be given is struck? The Minister must make a statement about that.

I would interested in the Minister's comments on the bilateral loans offered by the Swedes and the British. He said that the financial assistance programme may possibly be supplemented by bilateral loans. Who exactly makes that decision? If these bilateral loans are offered by two governments to this State outside the emergency funding system the EU has put in place, surely that is a matter for this sovereign House and, ultimately, the Government to determine? Who exactly makes that call? Will the Minister clarify that because the British have made it absolutely clear that their bilateral loan facility is separate to the funds that will be made available through the emergency fund. There must be some clarity on that.

Deputy Kenny said something on Leaders' Questions which was not taken up by the Taoiseach. He suggested that Opposition parties should have access to the negotiations going on with the IMF given that whatever deal is brokered will be in effect for some years and there will be a new Government. It seems crazy that the Government does not have, as a central component of the discussions and negotiations on this package, involvement from the Opposition. I find that quite astonishing.

When the Taoiseach telephoned Deputy Kenny and Deputy Gilmore last evening, I understand the discussion was about information on the budget. There should be discussions on the bailout conditions and the terms of that memorandum. The Minister needs to address that issue.

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