Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We need to find out the reasons for the evolution of that culture, the personalities involved and the way the decisions were made. I repeat as I stand at this seat that there is nothing in the Department of the Taoiseach with which I can inform myself about the visits by bankers to senior Ministers or predecessors in my office, to record what was discussed or agreed or to point out the decisions made. Does Deputy Adams not believe it would be appropriate to find out that information? Does he not believe it would be in the interest of every citizen, including the hundreds of thousands in financial difficulty, to determine why we incurred a cost €64 billion, which will take generations to repay. We must work at European level to seek agreement and co-operation in respect of decisions taken. That has been a different argument and we have made some progress in that regard. We need to find out in this House what happened, who made agreements, who was involved, the nature of the discussions, what was said to the former Government about bringing in the guarantee, and why the bankers were able to convince that Government to go down this road, as evidenced in some of the tapes to which we have listened, which tapes imply the bankers played games with the former Government and said, "We have them." They referred to €1 billion per day or other figures. We need to find out this information and that is why we want the co-operation of the Deputy in processing the Bill to allow for inquiries in the Houses such that we can find out, in public, some of the required information in the public interest. The inquiry will not result in the conviction of people but will find out the truth behind some of what happened. The courts can deal with those against whom criminal charges are made. The people want to see the courts process such cases in accordance with the law of the land.

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