Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

We are all concerned about the job losses at Ulster Bank, to which Senator Darragh O'Brien has drawn attention. However, I do not think we should engage in scaremongering regarding AIB, which is 99% owned by the State. It was suggested in the past that a serious number of job losses might be proposed. As I understand it, talks between the Irish Bank Officials Association and the bank are ongoing. We should not prejudge the outcome of those talks by coming up with a headline figure of job losses which might not arise. While there might not have been consultation between the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Finance on the other matter to which Senator O'Brien alluded, I am sure there will be contact between the institution in question and the Department of Finance in this case. We should steady ourselves. The publication of the 10th edition of the Lonely Planet guide to Ireland is a good news story.