Shane Ross (Independent)

Let us just say that AIB Bank was forced to pay a fine of €90 million for a period for much of which this person was in charge. There are questions to be answered about that.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business. I share the concerns expressed on all sides of the House about the health service. Specifically, I cannot understand the reluctance to discuss the very delicate and sensitive nurses' claim. The nurses should be conceded this claim, 10% or not, because they deserve it for good and humane reasons and because the market will demand the claim be conceded sooner or later.

It is unconvincing for people to say we cannot grant it because the nurses must be trapped within social partnership. The nurses' claim is one of the great arguments against social partnership. They cannot be given the 10% they deserve because everyone is terrified of other groups making similar claims. That is one of the major flaws in social partnership. When people deserve a large claim like this, they will not be given it by the Government because it is frightened of breaching the silly rules it made itself.