Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

It was terribly embarrassing and pathetic to witness the sheer political impotence of the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste in response to the arrogance of the bankers last night. All right-thinking people in the country are embarrassed for our leaders and something needs to be done about it urgently. I join with our Leader, Senator Darragh O'Brien, in asking the Leader to make time available to debate the Fianna Fáil motion next week which will enable and empower the regulator to deal with this issue in a way which clearly our politicians have failed to do so far.

There has been a fair amount of talk about capital spending and revisionism. I accept Senator Seán D. Barrett's bona fides in this. I was alarmed at the alacrity with which my great friend and colleague, Senator Paul Coghlan, agreed with him. It bodes ill for people who-----