Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I second Senator Fitzgerald's call for an amendment to the Order of Business. We have such vagueness and indecisiveness regarding the non-decisions on the serious banking situation that it looks as though the Minister is allowing the banks to find their own solution and offer it to him. He has had them in for tea and biscuits a few times but nothing has happened. He wants their number to reduce from six to two and certainly not more than three.

I accept we do not want the equity houses or venture capitalists to come in. I agree with the approach on co-funding to allow investors, especially shareholders, to participate. This is very important. However, we have had nothing but procrastination and prevarication. The Leader owes it to the House to have the Minister come here. This compares unfavourably with the Leader's decisiveness and the urgency he attached to this House sitting all night to get the guarantee scheme through. However, we have had nothing since. We need detail and the time for this is now. We need it before Christmas.