Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. He is aware, obviously, of the fact that Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide cost the taxpayer €34 billion, which was the real burden imposed on hundreds of thousands of people over that period throughout the country, when 300,000 jobs were lost and emigration became a factor in everyday life again. Obviously, with the decisions and the challenges faced up to by the people, we are now in a very different position economically, and we hope that by creating another 40,000 jobs this year and the same next year and in 2017, we will ensure that all of the jobs that were lost are recovered and the State will be approaching full employment.

The Government has restructured the banking system, getting rid of some banks and restructuring others. The Minister met recently with the main banks to discuss the question of a reduction in variable interest rates, which is of interest to hundreds of thousands of people.

Regarding the question that the Deputy raised about the commission of investigation, as I said earlier on, when the House and the Oireachtas sign off on the terms of reference for a commission of investigation, that commission of investigation then becomes the sole responsibility of the member who is conducting its business, and that member will conduct his or her business in the way that he or she sees fit within the context of the general terms of reference. Let me repeat that no Justice in this country is a pawn of any Minister and no Justice is a pawn of any Government.

See this speech in context