Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a major policy issue. The Irish Takeover Panel which advised the Department has two nominees from the Central Bank. I support the Leader today with regard to the Governor of the Central Bank, who wants to be in this House more. We are speeding up the legislation to allow him to appear. Also on the board of the Irish Takeover Panel are nominees from the Irish Banking Federation, the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies, the Irish Stock Exchange, the Irish Association of Investment Managers and the Law Society. This issue is bigger than any of those bodies and Parliament should not have to kowtow to the Irish Takeover Panel. We should debate this issue fully because the other side - those who are pro-takeover - have no such compunction. They are leaking information to the media on a daily basis while Parliament is not allowed to discuss the issue fully. I am afraid that I have to say to our friends on the Irish Takeover Panel and the Stock Exchange, "Back off; this is a parliamentary democracy".