Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, the Deputy uses such terms as "give away" and "fire sale" very loosely. Like any asset, whether it is a bank, a house or a bicycle, it is only worth what a willing buyer is willing to give to a willing seller on any given day. When AIB was taken over by the State it was taken over because there were no willing purchasers. One would not have got €100 for it. It does not make sense to say AIB was worth €20 billion and now it is worth less. The point is that it was worth nothing when the State took it over.

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