Ivana Bacik (Independent)

Senator Ó Clochartaigh raised the issue of Ministers' expenses, which is a debate we could well have. Ministers - certainly the Labour Ministers with whom I have discussed it - are very concerned about the issue and want to see it reformed. As the Senator knows there have already been significant cuts in ministerial pay since the Government came into office, but it would be very good to have a broader debate on ministerial expenses.

I am grateful to Senator Mooney, who was the only Senator to raise this morning the biggest and most critical issue facing the country and the wider eurozone community, which is the crisis in the eurozone. I will convey the concern he expressed about what is going on, which is shared by other colleagues. It would be useful to have a public statement from the Government on it, but we need to be mindful that the situation is changing by the hour and the timing of such a statement would be critical - an intervention at the wrong time might not be helpful. IMF economists have today issued a report suggesting that the decision to guarantee debts in Anglo Irish Bank might have been some sort of precipitative factor of the eurozone crisis. We need to be mindful of the timing and of our role in the eurozone crisis.