Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I did not respond to the Minister of State when he seemed to give the impression that it could not be done because he was having meetings in Europe, which might go on for ten years. However, I accept your ruling, a Chathaoirligh. I ask that my request be put to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform with a view to getting his thoughts on the matter.

We have had much discussion in the past week on the AIB report. In the course of the week we have heard that NIB has been sold at a handsome profit of almost €1 billion. During the summer holidays last year when people were probably more interested in buckets and spades than what was going on in the world of finance, a report was published showing systematic tax evasion aided and abetted by senior officials in NIB. This matter has never been discussed, addressed or considered by the Oireachtas. If this bank is sold as no doubt will happen, it will be sold at a profit of €1 billion, which is fair enough, but it will be sold to a new owner which will have no responsibility for the systematic tax evasion ripping off the taxpayer and the system, which occurred over the years. This should be discussed as a matter of urgency. I will be raising the matter at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service and I would like to hear whether the Minister for Finance would like to discuss it.

I apologise that I will miss the end of the Order of Business, as I am required to make an input at another meeting.