Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with everything that Senator Crown has said. There are people in serious medical situations who cannot access the services they require. As we have seen in recent weeks, there are people who require medical attention but cannot afford it because their medical cards have been withdrawn. Serious lessons should have been learned from the debacle that has gone on over recent years with regard to the dysfunctionality of many public services. Unfortunately, that lesson seems to have been completely lost on the Government parties. Many people have suffered as a result of the banking collapse and the manner in which prudential banking was abandoned by people who were really greasing their own palms with bonuses. As a consequence, many people are in distress and some have committed suicide. We owe it to those we represent to have a banking inquiry that has integrity and public confidence. This approach, however, has totally undermined that, particularly with the comments of the Taoiseach. It is obvious - people everywhere will see it, including Members of this House - that this is purely an exercise in trying to gain some perceived political advantage out of what has been the most serious economic collapse in our history.

I appeal for Members on the opposite side to listen to what the people have said. The people have no confidence in the political establishment because they feel their interests are not protected and are superseded by the perceived interests of the parties themselves. This is a prime example of that.