Dáil debates
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
European Council Meeting: Statements
10:30 am
Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
When I was with the finance and public expenditure committee, meeting other committees in the Bundestag, we put to them information of which they were clearly not aware. These people are on the budgetary committee of the Bundestag, with a €300 billion budget. I put it to them that the loan losses in our banking system were 60% of our national income or GDP. If the same problem had arisen in Germany, it would be a €300 billion part of its GDP. We were being asked, silently, to bear this load, which was wrong.
Robert Browne
Posted on 2 Feb 2012 11:54 pm (Report this comment)
Extraordinary statement considering the people of this country thought that this government were not going to be as limp as the FF/Green government that went before it. I am glad you have put this on the public record of the house. As for the antics of your colleagues, it speaks volumes for the continued dysfunctionality of the Dail that talented people such as you are have to be prevented from speaking at practically all costs.