Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be concise and to the point. The Minister's final remarks let the cat out of the bag about this inquiry because he was responding to the remark about what happened after the night of the guarantee. He said it was up to the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform to do that at any stage. The implication was that he, as a Government Minister, and this Government will not allow the Oireachtas to do that if the Oireachtas so chooses. The Minister said it is a matter for the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform. Clearly, he does not intend for it to be done by the inquiry committee. Leaving it to the Oireachtas committee means the Government will dominate it.

I agree with the Minister about institutional bias. Of course, we can impeach a President or judge. We are not inherently biased except that the Taoiseach demonstrated inherent bias and abused the privilege of this House by essentially making criminal charges and allegations of collusion. If he believes there is collusion and that criminal charges should be brought, he should refer the matter to An Garda Síochána for investigation. I was very much in favour of this Oireachtas undertaking a banking inquiry until the Taoiseach started showing the true colour of this Government in respect of its sole function regarding what an inquiry is about.

I will finally move on to remarks made by Sinn Féin, whose spokespersons said we were offended by this. I am putting this on the record because I have refrained from saying it before in connection with the remark about us being offended by our relationship with Anglo Irish Bank. I will take no lecture from any member of Sinn Féin about how to deal with banks. It is a party whose associates carried out several armed robberies in this State and the Six Counties. Their associates raided the Northern Bank, robbed post offices and killed members of An Garda Síochána in the process. I will never take a lecture on how to deal with a bank from any member of Sinn Féin in or outside this House.

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