Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One of my questions is about the Taoiseach giving us a view on the continuation of the Economic Management Council and the suggestion that it should not be retained after the period of the fiscal crisis. Another question relates to frequency of meetings with banks. I accept entirely what was read to us. It is interesting to note that in several newspaper reports earlier this month, the Minister for Finance was quoted as telling a Fine Gael parliamentary meeting that the Economic Management Council discussed the question of insolvency legislation and mortgage arrears. It appears there is no difficulty briefing the Fine Gael Members or the media of discussions within the EMC but we in the Dáil cannot be briefed on these matters.

Having made that point, my main question is whether this management committee should be retained. It has been described, variously, as autocratic and dictatorial. The Taoiseach has stated this is not the Government but it has been described as a government within the Government. That is not coming from us but people within the Government parties. Others have stated it undermines the role of Ministers and the Cabinet while enhancing the power of unelected civil servants and party advisers. Mr. Pat Leahy, in his book, The Price of Power, identifies one key reason for its existence. He argues that one senior Minister put it to him that the Cabinet "leaks like a sieve", so perhaps it is about preventing leaks and control. Last November, one of the Taoiseach's backbenchers, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, called for the disbandment of the EMC and suggested its operation might even be unconstitutional. A Minister, Deputy Alex White, warned that the council should not become a fixture of the political system. He specifically called for the role of the Economic Management Council to be re-examined. Has this been considered by the Government?

Last month, the Taoiseach reported that the Economic Management Council met representatives of the banks on three occasions, which were in November 2011, February 2012 and June 2012. That means it has been almost three years since the EMC last met representatives of the banks.

Given the central role that the banks must play in any fair economic recovery, is it right that there were no meetings for three years? We all know about the number of mortgage accounts which are in arrears and the pressure on householders, which is rising and will continue. Many times, I have raised with the Taoiseach the problem with banks not lending enough money to small and medium enterprises. Is it not a glaring fault that the Taoiseach did not meet with the banks on this issue?

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