John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

However, the fact is that for many, particularly those involved in small businesses, there is no working banking system in place. The Government made decisions, including to take over Anglo Irish Bank; to invest a huge sum in the recapitalisation of Irish Nationwide Building Society, a very small bank; and to own 90% of our largest financial institution, Allied Irish Bank. I urge the Minister of State to ensure those involved in these institutions and others who were responsible for landing us in this mess will be held to account for the damage and havoc they have wreaked on the country. I can give him a list of people in south Tipperary and south Kilkenny - I am sure he knows them himself - who have been forced to leave the country and whose futures have been ruined. They have thrown back the keys to houses and have debts that will follow them for the rest of their lives because of decisions made by people involved in the institutions in question. We need justice in the midst of all of this.