Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister for Finance on his decisive action over the last day. It is timely and much needed and shows the kind of leadership to which not only this country but also our European counterparts can look with confidence. I believe it will become the benchmark for small, open-market economies such as ours. If other countries follow suit, we will begin to establish the floor for which this international crisis needs. I look forward this afternoon to the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues regarding the economy but, like many colleagues, I believe we should have an exclusive debate on the banking system and its future regulation. I ask that the Leader focus at his earliest convenience on allotting time to such a debate, perhaps a whole day if necessary. I understand a banking Bill will come before the Dáil, perhaps later today, and this may be with us in the next couple of days, at which time we will have a further opportunity for discussion.

We will tease out all these issues further during this afternoon, but I wish to make one final point. Our banking system is inextricably linked to our economy and to our society. I pay tribute particularly to the officials who got no sleep last night as they prepared these measures, and to the Minister. These measures will be introduced in the best interests of our economy and our people, not in the interests of the banks. It is as simple as that. I look forward to debating this further throughout the afternoon.