Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Last week we had a bizarre situation where the Government published two long awaited banking reports but the Seanad did not sit, while the Dáil was effectively muzzled by the actions of the Government. We know that every possible forum in the country was discussing the reports. Independent experts, domestically and internationally, delivered a damning verdict on the actions of the Government and the Taoiseach, the culture of banking and the system of so-called light touch regulation, over which the Government had presided. I recognise that we will have an opportunity to debate the reports later today. However, we must remember that they do not encompass any examination of NAMA or the recapitalisation of the banks and that the Taoiseach was not interviewed. At the weekend we heard from Dr. Michael Somers of the NTMA. He referred to the next stage of the banking inquiry in which the role of the Department of Finance should be examined. It is very clear at this stage that we need a banking inquiry to be held in public, that would be comprehensive and examine all of these issues. How does the Government respond to the comments of Dr. Somers? When will the terms of reference for the banking inquiry be brought before the House? Will they be broadened to include the Department and the Minister for Finance? We need answers to these questions because it is completely wrong, as some Ministers have stated, to suggest the two reports vindicate Government policy. They certainly do not. They do not examine Government policy since 2008. We must hear when the terms of reference will be brought before the House and how comprehensive they will be.

While there will be a banking inquiry, we must have another inquiry for which this House should call, into what happened in our maternity hospitals.