Ivana Bacik (Independent)

Other Senators have rightly expressed shock and dismay at the news of the appalling practices between Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent. Who knows, as Senator Ross said, what other banks are engaged in the practice of propping up each other? It begs the question, if the banks are busy bailing each other out, why on earth are we, as taxpayers, bailing them out? Could it be that the bailing out has been going on for a long number of years among the banks and we did not know about it? Our bail out was carried out in good faith — I voted against it but clearly a majority voted in favour of it — but we were unaware of the mutual bailing out going on between the banks at the time. We need another debate on the issue.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business calling on the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to come to the House and tell us what on earth is going on with the cutbacks for the education of children with special needs.