Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A debate might be too intellectual for us ordinary five eighths on this side of the House.

I concur with the congratulations extended to An Garda Síochána in Galway and also commend the two, what might be termed by the tabloid press "have a go", citizens who were very brave and courageous in initiating the chase. I also welcome the fact that the opportunity has arisen to point out the scandalously low pay rate for the new garda recruits. My colleague, Senator MacSharry raised this a number of weeks ago and was the first in this House to do so, following a high profile visit by the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste to Templemore when the first recruits were being initiated. There has been a deafening silence from the Government on this. I have not heard one word since about this pay rate of €23,000. Here we are, congratulating gardaí for taking their lives in their hands - for €23,000. That is a scandal and one that needs to be addressed in a budgetary framework. Perhaps the Leader will comment on that.

I commend the comments of my colleague, Senator Hayden, on the leading economist who appeared before the banking inquiry yesterday. The man is a real patriot and he has made an outstanding contribution to the life of this State during his time with the ESRI. The meeting yesterday cannot have been easy for him. He raised fundamental issues which I hope will be addressed by the banking inquiry. They are fundamental issues about what seems to be - and I use the word cautiously - an arrogant approach by officials in the then Department of Finance on the impending crisis that was going to explode on this country between the years 2005 and 2008. They not only studiously ignored advice that was being given but treated it with a level of contempt. I hope that the banking inquiry will invite them in because they are still around and ask them to justify their actions.

Perhaps the committee will also look at what came into the public domain. I refer to the letters or correspondence between the then housing Minister, Deputy Noel Ahern, and the Department of Finance at the time of the introduction of 100% mortgages. The economist pointed out not once but repeatedly that this development posed a real danger to the Irish mortgage system and that it would create enormous financial and economic difficulties if it was allowed to go unchecked. What did the Department of Finance do? The officials treated his advice with total contempt. There are issues surrounding the advice that was given at that time by the Department of Finance to the political environment. The matter needs to be teased out and addressed.

I wish to compliment Niall Gibbons and his people at Tourism Ireland who have once again pulled off yet another great coup of extending the number of greening iconic site across the world. There is upwards of 60 sites that will go green for St. Patrick's Day. Given the size of this country there will be a focus on Ireland as a result of the colour green appearing at iconic monuments throughout the world. It is a wonderful commendation for Tourism Ireland and Niall Gibbons. Among the iconic attractions that will go green on St. Patrick's Day will be the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.