Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will move the amendment with regard to No. 1.
When the banking inquiry was first discussed, the Government Chief Whip came before the House and we had a debate. I call on the Leader to initiate further debate on this. I cannot understand what the Government hopes to achieve by this. It has already undermined the credibility of the banking inquiry. I wish to put on the record once more that Fianna Fáil is totally in support of the banking inquiry and we will co-operate in any way possible to ensure the real truth is got at under the terms of reference, whatever they may be. What I found astonishing about the Taoiseach's comments in recent days is that he plainly and openly stated on the record of the Dáil that he was not in favour, or was opposed to, the democratic decision arrived at by the committee of selection of this House because he wanted a Government majority to ensure the terms of reference would be according to what the Government wants the terms of reference to be. In other words, the committee members should be good little muppets and do what the Government tells them to do and come up with the type of conclusions the Government wants. This is essentially the message being sent out to the general public.
There is an old story about digging a hole. The Government has continued to dig the hole and has not stopped digging. By putting forward these proposals this morning, without debate to make it even worse, the Leader has, in my opinion, flouted the entire democratic process the House enjoys.