Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

This is a technical amendment that was raised by Deputy Kieran O'Donnell on 8 July regarding the relevant dates for the banking inquiry. While it is a technical amendment giving effect to that date which could not be done procedurally at the time, a raft of revelations have emerged from the banking catastrophe in the meantime that would need to be debated and investigated by this commission. It is imperative that we have a statement from the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach to the effect that they will give their evidence in public to this inquiry, regardless of whether they are in or out of office when it starts its business.

These are two fundamentally important issues. The carry-on of some of the banks in the last couple of months has been scandalous. The entitlements of the law in this country have not been brought to bear on whether some people should end up in prison or otherwise. The carry-on of some of the activities of the banks has clearly been scandalous and are partly the reason we are being economically constricted by the IMF.

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