Alex White (Labour)

The more information and analysis we have the better. I acknowledge that the Regling-Watson and Honohan reports are extremely rigorous and helpful in making an assessment or analysis of what has occurred. Although I have never heard of the gentleman who has been appointed to lead the commission, I have no reason to believe Senator MacSharry is incorrect when he says he is a person of integrity and experience. I am sure we will find out more about his level of experience and background in the coming days. Therefore, we will not hold up this discussion by going through his CV.

One of the points that strikes me about the sheer number of reports available is that there is at least a risk that various aspects of the problem will be analysed and scrutinised separately from each another. While perhaps to some extent that is necessary or inevitable given the structures involved, some in the private sectors, for example, the banks, and others in the public sector, for example, the Department of Finance as a discrete body with regard to macro-economic policy decisions, a different approach is required by an outsider. While I understand this, my concern is that, whereas we might end up with a proliferation of reports, each one of which might be important, stand on its own and contribute to the discussion, ultimately we will all have to pull together. We can have a debate between ourselves that is purely political in terms of who we say is responsible for what happened and the decisions made by politicians which were were wrong or questionable, but that will remain at the level of a political contest until both sides are armed and equipped with the details of what, in fact, occurred. That will inform the debate and we will find it more satisfactory to have discussions and even disagreements if they are based on factual information and analysis.

One of the points that concerns me about the second of the two issues we are discussing relates to the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service. I am probably the only one present who is not a member of the committee.