Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

It is interesting that while Greece and Portugal are having issues associated with their economic distress dealt with at European level, the Government has not even managed to get Irish issues on the agenda.

Tá ceist agam faoi ard-bhaincéirí. An bhliain seo caite, dúirt urlabhraí Fhine Gael, an Teachta Richard Bruton, nár chóir dos na hard-bhaincéirí an méid airgid a mhol Rialtas Fhianna Fáil mar uas-theorainn, a fháil. Dúirt Páirtí an Lucht Oibre an rud céanna. I understand that in recent days AIB has made a request to the Department of Finance, contending that the cap on chief executives' salaries, at €500,000, should be breached and salaries increased as the bank is experiencing difficulties in recruiting to fill the top jobs. As I said as Gaeilge, Fine Gael poured cold water on Fianna Fáil when it introduced the cap initially, as did the Labour Party. It is inconceivable that the Taoiseach would countenance such an increase at a time of considerable distress and when people are scandalised by the pensions paid to some bankers. Will he rule out firmly any increase in the salaries of chief executives?

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