Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

Yesterday in the other House, the Minister for Finance stated that the protracted debate on the NAMA legislation could delay the transfer of loans to the agency. The timing of the debate, both in the Dáil and the Seanad, on the NAMA Bill is in the hands of the Government, particularly the Minister for Finance. In that statement, he is denigrating public debate in the Oireachtas and, by implication, suggesting that in some way constructive debate is negative. When sands are shifting, bank share prices are falling and the assumptions underlying the legislation are being called into question, this is a diversionary tactic by the Minister for Finance and is unworthy of him.