Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are almost 50% into the Government's term and many aspects of the programme for Government are being implemented. However, it is regrettable that no individual has yet been jailed for the banking crisis. Is this surprising, though? Since 2008, we have cut the budgets of the offices that deal with such matters. In the past three or four years, the budget of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, has decreased from €44 million to €36 million. The budget of the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, which was initiated under the auspices of Nora Owen by a Fine Gael-led Government, has decreased from €7.5 million to €6.4 million. The budget of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, ODCE, has decreased from €6 million to €5.3 million. Given these cuts, is it any wonder that we are not in a position to bring people who engaged in treason against the State to justice? I have not even referred to the cuts to the Garda fraud squad. In my humble opinion, we should have provided additional resources to these important offices, not cut them.

I call on the Leader to pass on our views to the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach that we need to see the budgets of these offices restored as a matter of urgency because the people want to see people brought to justice for wrecking the country. White collar crime in this country has gone unabated and it has not been dealt with for far too long. It is time for action.

What we heard on the Anglo Irish Bank tapes was appalling. There was a cavalier and an arrogant attitude among senior bankers in the Anglo Irish Bank which, I am sure, was replicated in many other banking institutions but the evidence has not come out yet. The people are seething and want urgent action. The Government needs to lead the way and ensure prosecutions as a matter of urgency. We need a banking inquiry but we need prosecutions also.