Ciarán Cannon (Progressive Democrats)

I also support the call of Senator Wilson for some financial control. We have invested billions of euro of taxpayers' money in the banking system. I do not wish to be crude about it, but we have effectively been given the two fingers by these people, who rode off into the sunset with our money. We have bought little or no influence in day-to-day banking policy. That is simply one example of the carry-on that the people have had to put up with in recent months. Businesses cannot get overdrafts and people who are on punitive fixed-term rates cannot change over to variable rates. It is simply a disgrace. Last week, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Martin Mansergh, refused to even contemplate a discussion with the banks which might allow those on fixed-term rates to switch to variable rates.

I refer to two issues raised by my colleague, Senator Fitzgerald. This morning, I was appalled that the Ombudsmen for Children had to literally throw her hands in the air in utter frustration at not being allowed to do her job properly. I believed we had left behind the time when such concealment of vital information was commonplace. I believed we had arrived at a time when, as Senator Bacik remarked, the protection of our children was our utmost priority. I commend the Ombudsman for Children for refusing to get involved in legal shenanigans between her office and the HSE, which would, as she said, cost up to €4,000 per day. She is entitled to that information from another arm of the State.