Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I strongly support the amendment proposed to the Order of Business. This is a recurring theme because there were breaches in all five of the financial institutions participating in NAMA, not only Irish Nationwide Building Society. The State is making considerable efforts to get the banking system back working again in order that credit can be made available to those persons and businesses in need of it.

On the need for recapitalisation, I join Senator Fitzgerald in asking the Leader whether it is intended that additional public interest directors will be appointed. It will not suffice to appoint them if those with conflicts of interests or who were responsible for sanctioning the impaired portfolios that have landed us in this mess continue as board members. We need to do more about this issue. The Government cannot allow matters to freewheel, but it does not appear to have a firm hand on the tiller. We urgently need a debate this morning on the matters raised.

Members will be aware that there was a serious fire last week on over 1,860 acres of heather and gorse between Ard na gCoistí and the foot of Mangerton Mountain in the heart of Killarney National Park. The fire crossed two roads and flames came within 50 feet of houses. It was only controlled with great difficulty by ten fire tenders, but who knows what would have happened if they had been called elsewhere. It is a serious matter for the State. I urge the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, to ensure proper firebreaks will be cut in the future. If the fire had crossed the road at the viewing balcony, it would have burned everything between Mangerton Mountain and Dinis, including the oldest yew wood in Europe and several exotic species of plants.