Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

With regard to the Pat Finucane inquiry, the Taoiseach, on behalf of the Government, is party to an international agreement. He represents all of us with regard to the fulfilment and delivery of this agreement.

As the Taoiseach is aware there is no sense of any breakthrough on getting the inquiry to which all sides have signed up. Does he see any light at the end of that tunnel? Have his officials given consideration to how a breakthrough could be engineered? Time is not on our side in finding the facts of this case. It is a central issue and it stands out as a significant blight in terms of the British Government's commitment to justice and bringing closure to many issues of this kind. The death of Pat Finucane has an iconic status at this stage in what his murder represented. For the broader purposes of reconciliation it is important that that issue be pursued. It is not satisfactory to say that we are raising it here and there. Can any breakthrough be engineered at any point?

I also raised the meetings at the New York Stock Exchange. He said he had no idea who was going to be there. He has now said he did not read the background note or did not get access to it for some reason or another. That clarifies that point - although I would have thought a background note was intended for him. Details of the event listed who would be on the panel and in attendance.

The Taoiseach did not answer the third question to do with the bank debt and bank bondholders. Strangely the Government has avoided giving us straight answers on this issue. Why is there reluctance to raise the issue of burning bank bondholders with the American Government? Have we ever ascertained whether United States Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Geithner, was resolutely opposed to that and stopped it at the famous G8 meeting when he made a crucial intervention to prevent any burning of any bondholders? The Government was elected on the pledge of burning bank bondholders. Both parties made solemn and ringing declarations such as "not another red cent" yet a strange silence has come over both parties with a desire to move away from that agenda completely. The Taoiseach did not answer that. Did he ask President Obama for his views on the burning of senior bank bondholders? In order to get resolution of the eurozone crisis, can we get any answers on the bank debt issue which is continuing to engulf us?

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