Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before we started the Chief Whip told me that we have full agreement from the Business Committee and that there are no issues with the Order of Business. That did not last 60 seconds but what intrigues me is that on the schedule for this evening, at 5.54 p.m., is statements and questions and answers by the Minister for Finance on the banking sector, with 135 minutes provided for the debate. What are the Deputies on about? It is provided for on the schedule but the Deputies all get up and say, "Shock, horror, we need a debate on banking. There is none provided for." It is provided for and has been agreed. The Deputies agreed it and the Chief Whip agreed it on behalf of the Government. We all agreed that there would be statements on banking this evening. There will be a debate and the Minister for Finance is coming in.

What is really going on here is Deputies playing politics with workers. Deputy McDonald spoke about a slap in the face to this worker and that person on the PUP. The Government has to deal with the substance of the issues at hand. There are three Irish companies involved here, with a whole range of employees. There is Fexco, for example, in south Kerry, which employs a substantial number of people. The Government had that in mind. It had the protection of work in that company in mind, in terms of making decisions of this kind. These issues are not simple. Banking is going through a significant change, as can be seen from the NatWest situation, the Bank of Ireland decision and a range of other matters. Banking is not what it was in the past. It is going through huge change and challenges. We want to protect as many jobs as we possibly can and to ensure the viability of the wider banking sector. We also need a vibrant stockbroking sector in Ireland-----

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