Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

We must get small construction businesses back up and running. I come from a medium-sized town and I know the small builders who would build a house or an extension — I will not call them construction people. They are on their knees. I call on the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, to ensure that whatever we do when we recapitalise the banks, there is a clause that small and medium-sized businesses will be looked after. If we do not do this, we are at nothing.

We must also ensure the excessive salaries of the directors of the two banks we are now ready to recapitalise are brought into question, and that everybody shares the pain that we in the public and private sectors are sharing.