Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I rise to support the comment of Senator Callely about the banks. On Tuesday morning I met a developer in Mullingar who has paid his taxes and whose C2 is intact. He is a good community and family man and any developments in which he was involved have been completed. Westmeath County Council does not have to worry about completion and planning enforcement is not an issue. The stories he related to me about the banks are exactly comparable to the comments of Senator Callely. What is happening is a disgrace.

This House has helped the banks. I remember the occasion myself; I was not feeling very well at the time. I walked across the plinth at 8.20 a.m. having passed legislation to save the banking system. What have the people got back from the banks? One would want good eyesight to see it because it is not much. It was always my understanding that a good banking system complemented good business activity. That now seems not to be the case. The Minister for Finance should be called to the House as soon as possible to outline to Members what he proposes to do in this regard. The banks are doing nothing to stimulate business activity.

I received a telephone call recently from a councillor in the west who expressed concern about social welfare fraud. He referred to an incident where a non-national couple had their child christened in a particular parish in his area. One week later, the same priest was standing in for a priest in a neighbouring parish when, lo and behold, the same couple presented to have their child christened. I am sure it is not because they like baptismal cake so much that they had the child christened twice. There was surely a more sinister motivation at play. I understand baptismal certificates are being accepted as proof of birth as well, as birth certificates, which is something that should be reviewed. This is a scam and it must be investigated.