Dan Boyle (Green Party)

Like other Senators I, too, call for the strike planned for next Monday not to go ahead. I do not believe it serves any useful purpose and on those grounds it should not proceed. If it takes an intervention to stop it from going ahead then that intervention should be sought. If it takes a formal restoration of the social partnership process then that too should be given every consideration. In restoring the social partnership process all the social partners need to be aware we are in an era where difficult and unpopular decisions will have to be made. If that were to precipitate a decision not to proceed with a strike on Monday, it would be the beginning of a process in which we as a nation need to engage.

I also join in the calls made by other Senators for a debate on the banking system. I am aware we are having a debate on Thursday on pre-budget statements but the news that came out of the Joint Committee on Economic Regulatory Affairs today was very disturbing. There is ongoing concern at the events in Irish Nationwide. While I have made several comments in recent weeks on the resignation of the chair of that board, the revelations about the interaction of Irish Nationwide with Anglo Irish Bank, and the news about the €1 million bonus payment and the €27.6 million pension pot that exists for the acting chief executive who has continued in office in that organisation for no reason whatever, I am surprised there has been so little political comment from other political parties in this Chamber. If we are serious about bringing about——