Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The first thing that strikes me about this debate is the title of it which is a master stroke in euphemism. The choice of "Statements on Bank Reorganisation" is a very self-conscious choice of words by the Government, not least because statements on this, the fifth banking bailout, would read rather less attractively. The Government's primary assertion is that it has adopted a new approach but this does not stand up to any scrutiny. The €24 billion of taxpayers' money in recapitalisation now sunk into the banks bares the lie in that regard.

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