Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Ó Clochartaigh, ar an gcéad dul síos, ní raibh ísliú riamh san Eoraip ar na fiacha oifigiúil, fiú amháin sa Ghréig. Cé go raibh ísliú ar na fiacha príobháideacha sna bainc, ní raibh ísliú riamh, ná ní bheidh, ar na fiacha oifigiúil. Níl sé ar intinn ag an ECB ísliú mar sin a chur ar fáil do thír ar bith san Eoraip. Ní dhearnadar é sa Ghréig. Ba ísliú sna fiacha príobháideacha a bhí i gceist sa Ghréig.

On the section, it states: "The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas." I do not believe anything could be more democratic as that is the way business is done. Moneys voted by the Oireachtas for the purpose will be used to pay any expenses incurred by the Minister.

If the employees are re-employed by the liquidator or by NAMA - there are two possibilities - they will be employed under contract on new negotiated rates. I have said that already, and I believe that answers the Deputy's question.

I thank Senator Conway. When the Bill was being drafted I had no awareness that the gentleman he referred to was engaged in any form of legislation. As I said to him, the drafting of this legislation was done months ago because we were preparing for this for quite some time. It is worth saying, and I am sure Senators are well aware of it, that the Government cannot introduce legislation until it receives a stamped copy from the Attorney General. The stamped copy is a stamp to say that it is constitutional. Saying that a Bill is unconstitutional is a challenge to the Attorney General's opinion. The Government is legally obliged to get a stamped copy, and not to proceed until it has a stamped copy, and I have a stamped copy in my possession for several months.