Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Taoiseach's reply is unacceptable and he should stop trying to walk away from his own words. The only possible construction on what the Taoiseach said is he believed records might have been shredded. It is the only reason he would have said it. He has been in sole charge of Government Buildings since early last year and it is unacceptable to throw out conspiracies like a man standing at the bar in a pub. It is beneath his office and he should have the decency to withdraw his statement fully and without equivocation.

In addition, the Taoiseach is oversimplifying a serious decision on a bank guarantee for which he and his party voted. To quote him at the time, they did so "in the interests of the country, in the interests of protecting our economy and to protect the interests of our taxpayers." This is the precise reason the previous Government made the decision itself. I do not know why the Taoiseach-----

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