Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In any event, I concur with Senator Darragh O'Brien, the Leader of the Opposition, and congratulate Senators Sean Barrett and Marc MacSharry, who are the nominees of Seanad Éireann to sit on the banking inquiry. The Committee of Selection last night made the decision in a democratic manner. The membership of the inquiry will be Deputy Ciarán Lynch, the Chairman and a member of the Labour Party, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, Deputy John Paul Phelan, Deputy Michael McGrath, Deputy Pearse Doherty, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, Senator Sean Barrett and Senator Marc MacSharry. It is a good inquiry and it has the credibility to go forward independently and examine the banking institutions. I have great confidence in it, knowing in particular the calibre of the two Members from this House. I will not speak to the calibre of the Members from the other House, who I am sure are of top quality.

I have known Senator Barrett since he entered the House and he has been exemplary in his work in every sphere of the Seanad's activity. He may have contributed more than anyone else in the House to its workings. He is a credit to the House. He was very successful in fighting a campaign for the retention of the Seanad. We owe him a great debt of gratitude in that regard.

I have known Senator Marc MacSharry for very long time. He is a man of the greatest integrity in public life and I have no doubt that he will play a very important role in the committee. I note the work he did in the House during the term of the last Government when he fought for cancer services in Sligo without fear or favour. He stood up and fought, irrespective of who was in government or what Minister was there and he will carry out his work in the banking inquiry in an exemplary manner.

Both Government and Opposition Members should be very fearful of any activity to disrupt the decision of the selection committee. If Members engage in such activity, the banking inquiry will have no credibility whatsoever and should be walked away from. If Members interfere with the decision of the selection committee, they will have to take the consequences of that action. The Government is slipping every day. It will slip further and the inquiry will never take place unless Senators Marc MacSharry and Sean Barrett are on it.