Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I do not think anyone in the House, particularly from the three main parties, is in a position to point the finger at anyone else with regard to creating economic difficulties. We should also remind ourselves that data based on 2009 figures show we had the fifth highest per capita GDP of the European countries in the OECD. This achievement was brought about by Fianna Fáil, although I am not happy with many of its mistakes due to the procyclical policies it followed in the past ten years. However, it came about following a serious mess being made of the economy in the 1980s, between 1982 and 1987, and we all know who was in power then.

I wish to raise the issue of the recent court case in Belfast relating to the bankruptcy of Seán Quinn. I was very sorry to see that happen because he is a man for whom I have great admiration. He built up an extraordinary multi-billion euro company from a start of just 23 acres of bad land in Fermanagh. His story was a phenomenal success story and it is very sad to see the situation that has arisen for him personally and for employees in his company.

In that regard, I want to raise two issues that arise. The first is our bankruptcy laws. The fact that Seán Quinn went to Belfast to seek bankruptcy raises many of the arguments we on this side of the House made when bankruptcy changes were debated here recently. It is a terrible reflection on the Department of Justice and Equality that more than three years into this crisis, it is still only considering what it may do about bringing forward realistic bankruptcy legislation. I ask for a debate on this in the House. The time it takes the Department to come to conclusions and for legislation to pass through the House leaves it far too late to try and change the situation.

It is also imperative that bankruptcy lasts no more than one to three years. The costs of the bankruptcy and the Revenue costs should also be eliminated in cases of bankruptcy. Currently, we have a ridiculous situation where those costs last for 12 years. We have good entrepreneurs in this country, but if we cannot get them back to work, to investing and to creating jobs, we will be looking at high unemployment for the next decade and possibly longer. In that regard, I ask that this debate be extended beyond these two areas to competitiveness. It is extraordinary that the troika had to insist to Ministers recently that they should do something about the exorbitant legal and medical costs in this country. People are being ripped off. Senator Conway probably best described it when he used the term "monopoly money". The fact that we allow people in privileged positions to continue to rip people off is a shame on the Houses, the Administration and our public service.

I find it extraordinary to read comments in the newspapers from people, particularly those who work in RTÉ, about salaries and pensions of Members of these Houses. Like many people here, I work for far less than I got, only a proportion of what I got, when I was working in the public service. I make no apology for what I get now. If we do not fund and resource politicians properly, this gives rise to corruption and leads to a failure to attract talent into the political scene, where it is needed. I propose we invite the Minister with responsibility for public services to the House to discuss the reason we are putting a cap on the salaries of CEOs in semi-State companies. These are important organisations that are at the root of how we will extricate ourselves from the current economic crisis. I am talking about Bord Gáis, whose very good CEO is now leaving, the ESB and the people who run the banks. We must depend on these people and if we do not have quality management, we will lose out. At the same time, RTE is paying monopoly money to contract broadcasters. I want the Minister to come in to debate the cap of €200,000. There is no reason anybody in RTE should get in excess of what the Taoiseach is paid. It is time we spoke up and enforced a cap and stopped listening to the ráiméis broadcasters go on with while hiding behind their exorbitant salaries.