Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Minister that my interest in the well-being of bank workers is far from new-found. If he talked to some of the bank workers I have assisted in their various campaigns in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, that might clarify the position for him. We will leave that matter there.

This is a test for the Government. There are massive redundancies coming down the line in retail, and post Covid there will be massive redundancies in other industries as well. Now there are more than 6,000 jobs on the line in the banking sector. Are the Minister and the Government going to stand on the sidelines or stand idly by and say the market rules and there is nothing they can do? Will the Government make meek appeals to the boards of the banks to show a little bit of fair play and compassion or will it intervene in a serious way in an attempt to defend jobs and services? The ball is in the Minister's court.

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