Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Obviously, we need to put in place procedures and committees with appropriate powers to deal with this issue, but we are missing the point about the pulse of the public. The Nyberg report points to all of the failures. Sinn Féin warned about what would happen, but we were ignored and dismissed. We repeatedly called for stronger regulation, caps on remuneration, a fair tax policy and so on.

What about those who created this mess? How will they be held accountable? Yesterday the Taoiseach stated he would not intervene to get back the €3 million of the people's money pocketed by Colm Doherty of AIB, citing contractual entitlements. This came the week after the announcement that 2,000 lower paid bank workers would be sacked, while thousands more are being denied modest pay rewards, despite their contractual entitlements. Is it only the rich and the golden circles that have entitlements? Cén fáth nach ndéanann an Taoiseach an rud ceart - seasamh ar son na cosmhuintire amuigh ansin in ionad bheith ag seasamh ar son an chiorcail órga atá beo go fóill? As we seek to reform the banking system, can we expect to hear further news of more big bankers walking away with obscene severance packages and pensions for which the taxpayer will pay and in respect of which the Government will repeat the mantra that it can do nothing? The people concerned acted in breach of their duties, caused significant losses, brought banks to the point of collapse and almost bankrupted the State. They should not be rewarded. I know of no other sector in which this conduct would be rewarded. Citizens have taken action against those whom they perceived to be politically responsible, but what action will the Government take to ensure there is not a recurrence and that those who are accountable will be brought to book instead of being allowed to walk away with millions of euro in public money?

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