Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We tend not to heckle during Topical Issue debates. The reduction seems to have been completely ignored.

In Bank of Ireland, to which the Deputy referred, we have a 14% shareholding. The State is a minority shareholder, yet we saw these resolutions passed by the overwhelmingly popular vote of shareholders. We want to get every single cent of money back out of our banking system. We are not giving up on the standard variable rate issue. Deputy Ross referred to the great chance the Minister had. The Minister has a process in place. We made it very clear in the Spring Economic Statement. The Minister will bring in the all the bank representatives next week and we will work on the issue. The rates are too high and need to come down. The Government is committed to that. However, it is easy to be populist in these matters. The Government cannot afford to be. It must get every cent of the money back for the taxpayer.

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