Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was also disappointed to hear the comments made by a backbencher about "your man". The man in question, Garda John Wilson, has done a great service to this State and is not involved in a "pantomime". I think these issues should be taken seriously.

On the Order of Business, the Government has today re-announced the establishment of the banking inquiry and informed us that a motion providing for it will be brought before the House next week. I must say I am disappointed that there was no consultation with the Opposition on this announcement. We heard about it through social media and the rest. I welcome the establishment of the banking inquiry. Sinn Féin has strongly pushed for an inquiry to take place. Does the Government have a timeframe for the banking inquiry? When will it start? When will it finish?

Following the conclusion of the Anglo Irish Bank trial, which will allow the banking inquiry to go ahead even if there is another trial to take place, has the Government considered overhauling the white collar crime legislation? During the lifetime of this Government, hundreds of our citizens have gone to prison for not paying fines but not one banker has gone to prison yet. Will a commission be asked to investigate or overhaul white collar crime? Will some type of action be taken here? No one was held accountable following the Moriarty tribunal. No one has been held accountable in a real or meaningful way following the banking trials. The inquiry that is being established will be unable to hold certain people to account in the way the public wants them to be held to account. Does the Government intend to take some action in this regard, or merely to allow this to die away?

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