Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

To be honest, I doubt that we will reach the recommendation which was most important to me, which related to gender equality issues in private pension tax relief. I can see a lot of important recommendations on the very far side of this and I doubt that we will reach them.

I want to reply on two things. First, yes, of course the recovery and resilience fund is really important. I am not opposing that. I note that Ireland is one of only seven countries that did not have parliamentary engagement on the allocation of that fund. Most did and that was an omission.

Second, the State is a shareholder. Surely that is the leverage. If we are concerned that there will not be lending or engagement by these banks, which there should be, in retrofitting and the new green economy then that is where our role as shareholder should come in to encourage that because it is good investment and good fiscal or financial practice.

I worry if banks' profits become our core goal. Is there a divide? What if we are concerned about our dividends versus the taxation that might come from the banks? I am a little concerned. That seems like a really important point of leverage. It is not a point that is at odds with fiduciary duty. If we are such large shareholders I do not understand why such amazing acts of persuasion are needed.