Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I was absolutely appalled to hear of this latest banker payment scandal. I was appalled that this should have been allowed to happen at a time when the people of this country own AIB. The news has broken on this watch and I am sure the Deputy will contribute to the debate tomorrow on the Nyberg report. He will notice a change in that the Government is publishing these reports as soon as is appropriate and having them debated in the House so that Members can express their view.

When the Deputy opens the Nyberg report he should look at page 6, section 1.5.3. The report refers to the Central Bank, the regulator and the Department of Finance but it also makes the following point:

People in a position to make decisions are and must be ultimately responsible for them regardless of what advice or suggestions they have received. The higher and more influential their position, the greater their responsibility. For instance, holders of public office are and must be responsible for directly and indirectly influencing others' conduct within their, often large, remit. They, no less than everybody else including borrowers, are, of course, also responsible for knowing what they are saying and doing.

Everybody will have an opportunity to discuss the report, but it appears to me that the culture that existed here was well known. The Government discussed the report this morning. What we want to see is accountability in the people's eyes for what has happened here. I do not know who was party to the discussions about Mr. Doherty's contract, remuneration and bonuses. That is gone; the payment has been made. The previous Minister for Finance did not want the director of the bank to be appointed, yet the Government of the day was not in a position to prevent that happening. I have asked the Minister for Finance to look at what evidence is available regarding how this was put together. Were the public watchdogs made aware of it? Was a copy of the contract made available to the then Minister and the Department of Finance? It is simply appalling that a situation such as this should arise when that bank and those working in it at senior level knew exactly the culture that existed and what was going on.

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