Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have no doubt that there would be some resistance to retrospection and by definition any level of retrospection brings with it an administrative workload. Will the Minister consider that again, bearing in mind that this Act is part of the architecture to which the general public as well as the political class or journalistic fraternity look for confidence in the public system, for transparency and accountability? Given the calamity the State and more importantly, the people, have come through, it is really important that the retrospection capture those additional 15 months. It does add administration but I do not accept that it is so onerous as to be the argument to reject the amendment. I hope the Minister takes my point about the timeline because there will be an inquiry into matters related to banking. There is probably a range of questions in the public mind that might legitimately be asked about that period, when the Minister was not in office, and which should be answered.

I disagree entirely with the Minister's analysis. I ask him to reconsider. I will be pressing this amendment.

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