Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The first thing I would like to do is send out some kind of energy, even from a small space, to France and the beautiful Notre-Dame de Paris, which was up in flames last night. It reminded me of the great line by Milton from "Paradise Lost", because if I ever witnessed awe in my life, I witnessed it in Notre-Dame. I also witnessed reverence. I witnessed reverence from all walks of life and all peoples, colours, creeds and religions. I know the French are a great race and they will rebuild it. I think we should all help them, because if we want an example of elevation, magnificence, what it is to see magnificence and maybe have it in our lives, then it is Notre Dame.

I want to talk about something else this afternoon: the new cultural body of the banks. When I read this great article by Michelle Hennessy, I thought I was going to pass out. I was seriously going to pass out. The banks are now going to have a new body to improve their culture. The new body comprises themselves, including KBC, Ulster Bank, financial advisers, Permanent TSB, AIB, Bank of Ireland and representatives from financial services. There are many young people in the Public Gallery today. I do not see any young people in their 20s or 30s who cannot afford a tree house or a barn or who cannot afford to live under the stairs and yet who have studied and have jobs. I do not see any of them on the great board, which will be the new cultural way forward for our banks. I do not see any artists on this new great cultural board that is made up of the banks themselves.