Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

Vis-À-vis what Senator Fitzgerald said, the letter is in the public domain and Deputy McDaid refers to matters of public importance. Last Thursday morning I asked the Deputy Leader to explain why the budget could not be brought forward and he gave me an answer. I wonder if he will give me the same answer today. I support what Senator Fitzgerald said in that regard. There will be a vacuum and a lack of certainty. We know what the bond yield levels are and need to bring them down. As I said last Thursday, the forthcoming budget will be an integral part of a four year plan and decisions will already have been made on it. Why delay further and allow a vacuum and uncertainty to continue when so much is dependent on what will be contained in the budget? It should be brought forward, for the sake of the country. I will be interested to hear the Deputy Leader's reply today.

Over the weekend we were disturbed to be reminded by one of the Sunday newspapers of the frightful accounting and banking scandal involving the loan of €7.4 billion given by Irish Life & Permanent to Anglo Irish Bank in 2008. The former chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank, Mr. Denis Casey, is alleging that the Financial Regulator, the Central Bank and the Department of Finance were aware of the loan in advance and that there was a certain connivance among them. Their attitude was, "Let us wear the green jersey, lads, because we are all playing on the one team and doing very well." There is now an allegation that the chairman of Anglo Irish Bank was asked to stay on to assist politically. I would like to hear what the Deputy Leader has to say on this matter which needs to be cleared up. It is a huge scandal which, presumably, is still under investigation by the Garda. I would like to hear the Deputy Leader's appraisal of the matter.