Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I want to be informed by the Taoiseach of his policies and the reasons behind them. If I agree with him I want the opportunity to put my agreement on the record and if I do not agree with him I want the opportunity to state a different case. For example, the Taoiseach seems to be totally confused around the issue of Anglo Irish Bank promissory notes. This is a separate issue from the €700 million that comes down on 2 November. That is a payment to private bondholders, which has been undertaken by Anglo Irish Bank with the permission of the Government, not by anybody who came before this Government. The previous Government placed €31 billion of promissory notes in Anglo Irish Bank and the Irish Nationwide Building Society, with a promise to pay €3.1 billion every year for the next ten years. When this Government was elected, it could have changed that but it decided not to. That is the Government's business.

The promissory notes are one issue, but the issue of the €700 million due on 2 November is a different issue. The Taoiseach should have given us the opportunity to discuss that matter because it is clearly on his watch and within his authority and he could stop it if that was his intention.

These bonds are unguaranteed and there is no legal, political and absolutely no moral obligation to pay this money. Tá mé dáiríre faoi sin nuair a deirim go raibh an t-ádh leis ag an gcruinniú. Tá mé fíor cinnte go bhfuil an Taoiseach ar an slí mícheart. Caithfidh sé athrú mór a dhéanamh agus caithfidh sé bheith ina sheasamh le muintir an Stáit seo. Ná bíodh an Taoiseach ag seasamh lena stáit móra.

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