Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo what Senator Conway said about the need for a debate and a report on banking in Ireland. Financial scandals are revealed on a daily basis such as Anglo Irish Bank today and AIB and the people who so little impressed the finance committee last week. Massive pensions are being paid to the people who, as Deputy Olivia Mitchell said on radio this morning, brought this country to ruin. I refer to ghost estates, the activities of NAMA, Anglo Irish Bank, AIB, the bailout money lining the pockets of bankers, their solicitors and their accountants. It is pulling the entire country down. The budget is, no doubt, occupying the Ministers, Deputies Noonan, Howlin and Hayes, but I hope that once the budget is dealt with that they will turn their attention to banking because it must be reformed and it needs a different kind of regulation. There is a significant lethargy and this is noticeable when trying to elicit a response when we proposed here that the Danish system of financing house purchase might be considered. Before it does any more damage, the financial sector needs to be debated and needs a shake-up.