Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, "That No. 13 on the Order Paper be taken before No. 1." I also wish to state I am shocked by the disgraceful tampering on the part of the Government to try to fix this banking inquiry. Members should consider what they are trying to achieve in this regard. Is not the purpose of the banking inquiry to get to the truth of what happened? If that is its purpose, why can Members not move ahead and accept those who were nominated last week have the expertise to achieve that aim? This is exactly what the public hates about politics. It is about everything that is wrong with politics to try to tamper with an inquiry like this, because it is perceived to fix the result. I do not state that necessarily is what will happen but that is how it appears. I appeal to Members on the Government side to reconsider what they are doing here because they are reducing people's faith in the political process. Why must a Government always believe it needs a majority in everything? The purpose of this inquiry is to get to the truth and Members should accept the democratic outcome of last weeks committee meeting.