Michael McCarthy (Labour)

Not only are we still paying the 2% PMPA levy, but there are people in this country who are paying a pension levy even though they will never see a pension. I refer to part-time firefighters in west Cork and cleaners in schools throughout the country, for example. It is a mystery that the PMPA levy still exists after 28 years, but it is also worth mentioning that legislation passed in this House and the other House means that people who will never get a pension have to pay the pension levy.

I hope somebody on the Government side can answer a question about an aspect of yesterday's announcement. What is the obsession with Anglo Irish Bank? Who influences Government policy in this area? We are giving €40 billion to the bank. I would like to return to a point made by Senator Norris in the context of the budget of 14 October 2008. He referred to comments made by the then chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, to the effect that the Government was right to withdraw medical cards from people over the age of 70, as an example of the type of mindset that existed in banking circles in this country. We also need to investigate the politics behind what has happened in this country.