Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

My apologies. I also congratulate the new Minister for Defence, Deputy Tony Killeen, on his promotion and for representing the Banner county, surrounding areas and the people of Tipperary, Limerick and the wider region.

I wholeheartedly congratulate our two Green colleagues, Deputies Mary White and Ciarán Cuffe, and wish them well in their portfolios. I also congratulate Deputy Seán Connick. He is a champion of champions and I wish him well. As a fellow Leinster man, I look forward to his coming to the House and doing everything he possibly can. As one who has come from the business world and knows the difficulties, he has a huge amount to offer.

I also wish the six new Ministers well on the change in their portfolios, although I recognise some of them have a very difficult task ahead. As soon as they have read into their briefs, it is my intention, as Senator Ó Murchú said, that we would have an opportunity to do something really special. With the permission of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and the help and assistance of the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach, we will attempt to do something imaginative in regard to enhancing the Seanad and assisting the Ministers in their new portfolios.

I wish the new Chief Whip, Deputy John Curran, well. I will be working with him on a daily basis and our first meeting is tomorrow morning at the legislation committee, which is one of the most important committee meetings in the House and takes place every second week. I look forward to working under his stewardship in the coming two years.

The difficulties and challenges that face the new Cabinet are extremely grave, to say the least. I know colleagues on all sides of this House, once the Order of Business is finished, will get together to find good ideas and use their professionalism from other walks of life to make the proposals that can help and enhance the work of the Ministers in the new Cabinet.

Senators O'Toole, Norris, Coghlan, Callely, McCarthy and Buttimer called for an urgent debate on the up-to-date situation at Anglo Irish Bank. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, is in the Ante Room waiting to address the House on Second Stage of the Finance Bill. I have allowed 20 minutes for spokespersons and 15 minutes for all other Senators. This is one area where the Minister can update the House.

I listened with great interest to the incoming chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Mr. Alan Dukes, speaking on radio this morning, and I was very impressed. Mr. Dukes has been on both sides of the divide and has been accountable on a day-to-day basis as the incoming chairman, and I wish him well. He pointed out that there are now over 200 fewer staff at the bank and that the extra responsibilities being taken on by those getting extra remuneration is an essential element at this time. I note he has the full blessing of the Minister for Finance in this regard. Mr. Dukes said he hopes, as we all do, that the bank will be in a position in the not too distant future to make credit available again, particularly for small and medium sized businesses.

I spoke with Mr. Dukes yesterday in regard to this issue. We are of one mind, as are all Members of this House. He sees a huge opportunity for the bank in this regard, perhaps on the same scale as the old ICC bank, which played such an important role during the downturn of the 1970s and 1980s.