Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is not answering any questions. Did the Minister for Justice and Equality know about the tapes? I welcome the Taoiseach back from his globetrotting six month EU Presidency and comhghairdeas ar an obair. He is back to the real world now and it is time he took some responsibility for the inaction of his Government on all the promises it made. The individuals in Anglo Irish Bank are only second-rate guys. We need to know how many more scoundrels are lurking in the shady vaults of Anglo Irish Bank and, indeed, the other banks, including Bank of Ireland, AIB and Permanent TSB.

Every legislative measure brought to this House has given a veto to the banks. With regard to the mortgage crisis, the Government is setting targets but the banks are just dangling people on a string. It is the same with the personal insolvency legislation. On every item, the banks have not been tackled head-on but have been given a veto on everything. Who or what is the Taoiseach hiding? He promised so much with disdain, as did the Tánaiste, Deputy Gilmore. Indeed, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, said there would not be one more red cent for Anglo Irish Bank. Does he remember that? Does the Government think the people are complete idiots?

The Taoiseach promised the people no more cuts to welfare or savage attacks on the most needy in society, one of which he went back on today. This Government went to the people for a mandate and said it needed people's votes to get us out of this mess. In the Anglo Irish Bank charade, the bank went to the Central Bank and said it needed its money to get it out of that position. It got the money from the last Government, of which I was a member. I have never shied away from that. I voted for it.

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