Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

There is a pattern to the Taoiseach's replies to questions that I put. He is always clear about what measures will cost the big people in our society, but totally unclear about what they will cost ordinary people. There are people watching this who want to know, as they wake up this morning, how much the charges will cost them. I will give some figures in this regard. The Central Bank said in February that €6 billion of senior bond debt was held by Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide. A modest 50% reduction would save the State €3 billion. Would it not be better for the Government to face up to these bad banking debts than to follow the diktat of the EU and IMF and Fine Gael's own instinct on matters to do with privatisation? Would it not be better to hold senior bondholders to account? Even some of the banks have held certain junior bondholders to account. Is that not a more decent, fairer and proper way to proceed? Will the Taoiseach not consider doing that?

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