Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

The decision of Allied Irish Banks to appoint one of its own as managing director at a purported salary of €633,000 is a direct challenge to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and the Government. This is the second major internal appointment by AIB. The Minister clearly called for external appointees to be appointed. The timing of the decision is an absolute disgrace, coming only days after the NAMA legislation has gone through the Oireachtas. Either we place a cap on salaries or we do not. I hope the Minister will walk the walk rather than talk the talk on this matter. I do not believe any mechanisms should be found, either through bonuses or otherwise, to conceal the true salaries of senior banking figures. The credibility and authority of the Minister and the Government are being brought into question. It is time the Government took action and stood up to the banks. After all, we own many of them. This is happening at a time when the Government will be demanding sacrifices from everyone in the community.

On Sunday week last the Sunday Independent published photographs of the houses of union officials and their salaries. Whatever about the salaries, the publication of photographs of their houses was a gross invasion of privacy. Of even greater significance is the fact that it published a photograph of the house of the secretary of the Irish Bank Officials Association, with a photograph of the family car without the registration plates blotted out. This is a gross breach of security——