Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

The 21st century Ireland has been given a very valuable lesson during the past 12 months. There has been the failure of accountability by Government, loss of morale by our financial institutions and large developers and the failure of the Government to govern and act in the national interest on behalf of the people. We should represent the people, which we have not done. The Government has neglected to do so and those on this side of the House have acquiesced. The big concern of the people is what is the cost to them. How will it affect them? They need banks and the hole in the wall to cash their pay cheques but not to look after the bankers' friends, the big developers with their billions of euro. Fine Gael has always done the right thing for the country. We support the Bill to secure the jobs of our people, to protect their small savings and to keep our economy buoyant and afloat and we will never let the people down.