Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I thought I would have the chance to make my comments when we had the debate on the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank. We were guillotined on that occasion so there was no opportunity then either.

I will briefly ask the Minister of State a few questions. It is easy to see what has gone wrong over recent years. Too many sections of this economy and parts of the Government were on autopilot. There was no control, accountability or management. When a former Minister, Charlie McCreevy, took some responsible decisions, he was given the boot and sent to Europe. He got no great comfort on the backbenches of his own party either at that time.

A former leader of our party, Deputy Michael Noonan, was scoffed at by Fianna Fáil and the Government of the day when he suggested that money from the National Pensions Reserve Fund be used for infrastructure within this country. Now we find money from fund will be used to bail out Anglo Irish Bank and, perhaps, other banks.

The Minister stated on the BBC the other day that it was a good job we are linked to the eurozone. I believe we are in the eurozone. It was a big slip-up for the Minister for Finance to say we are linked with the eurozone when we are definitely in it. It is a good job we are.