Jimmy Harte (Labour)

Along with other Senators, I note the Orange Order's contribution to the Seanad today. I grew up in Raphoe in east Donegal and the Orange Order was, and still is, very prominent in the town in which there was 50:50 breakdown in terms of religion. The Orange Order was part of the community. As Senator Bacik said earlier, before 1968 or 1969 the bands played music. The Ancient Order of Hibernians band would swap instruments if the other band was short a drum or a flute and one particular man, God rest him, also taught the Orangemen how to play the instruments. It is an historic day for the Seanad. I mention, in particular, the people who died over many years and the connotations the Orange Order had. It is a good day when the Seanad can invite a group like the Orange Order in to speak.

I refer to the news that Irish soccer fans will be awarded a special trophy for their behaviour and good humour in Poland, despite the results. Michel Platini, president of UEFA, will come to Dublin to present the award. The Irish fans expressed a form of Irishness Europe does not understand. European countries perhaps do not understand how we feel about ourselves. When Italy played Spain, it had difficulty getting fans to go to the matches whereas if Ireland had got to the final, 3 million people would have been looking for tickets. Europeans have a different outlook. When I was in Poland, I noticed fans from ten to 80 years of age. Every part of society was represented. Some 30,000 Irish people had a few beers and a sing-song. We did more for Irish tourism than Bord Fáilte ever did and the fans must be commended on that.

I agree with my colleague, Senator Higgins, about the debacle in Ulster Bank. However, the front line staff in Ulster Bank should be commended because they are bearing the brunt of the abuse and they do not deserve it. I know many staff who are working long hours and are trying to deflect the issues with which they are being hit. Someone in Ulster Bank or in Royal Bank of Scotland must be answerable. This has happened in Ulster Bank but what would happen if it happened to all the banks in the one week, which is a possibility? No one would have predicted this and one would have assumed the technology was 100% safe. I think the problem is much more severe than the bank is letting on. Last week we were told, one day after another, that the problem was about to be fixed. I felt as though I were in a plane sitting on a runway and being told repeatedly that take-off was delayed, only to discover, eventually, that the flight had been cancelled. It is important to have a debate on the Ulster Bank problem, but front line staff should not be blamed. This morning, I heard someone refer to a line from a song by Woodie Guthrie, "Some rob you with a six-gun, some with a fountain-pen". That is what is happening in this country.