John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A former Minister for Finance wrote a €30 billion IOU for Anglo Irish Bank - which in turn gave it to the Central Bank - without the knowledge or permission of his colleagues, or proper substantial debate in the Dáil, and without the consent of the people. It may very well have been unconstitutional. We all know the horrific consequences this has had for the Irish people. An insolvent Government promised to pay, on behalf of us all, €3 billion for 13 years to an insolvent bank. Any part payment has no basis in equity, social justice or morality for the people. The moral issue here demonstrates just how much the Government cares for the people of this country with the burden that has been inflicted upon them by mistakes made by politicians and bankers to the tune of over €9,000 per person. How often has it been said by prominent politicians and economists across the world that the taxpayer should not have to foot one cent of this bill? We have no legal obligation or requirement to pay any of this debt. The country is being torn apart by austerity. There is a widespread social consensus that any payment is unjustified and unjustifiable. It is fundamentally wrong in this crisis to leave it to 166 people to decide the fate of our nation for the next 15 or 16 years.

We should not underestimate the knowledge that the Irish people have acquired on the issue of promissory notes. Will the Government give people a say? They include nurses, gardaí, single mothers, the unemployed, emigrants and the thousands more who are about to leave. Will the Government go to the people in a referendum or an election on this grave economic crisis? The vast majority of people are saying that not one cent of this money should be paid. This debt is an immoral and unjust imposition on citizens, as well as on the future resources of the country. People deserve their dignity and the best way to do that is to let them have a say. Is that not a reasonable request?

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