Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

The Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service regularly has sessions with representatives of the various banks. It would be a very suitable forum for the type of questions Senator Ross has in mind.

I have some sympathy with the point made by Senator Cummins. It is unsatisfactory that passports must be used and produced in all sorts of situations for which they are not intended. They are being used as substitute identity cards, with the result that they get lost or are stolen and this gives rise to all sorts of problems. I am not necessarily in favour of the introduction of some form of State identity card, but it would be useful if there could be a standard system of mutual recognition regarding the plethora of identity cards of one kind or another that are issued by various bodies. Ryanair should take note in that regard.