asked the Minister for Finance whether it is intended to proclaim Thursday, 27th December next, a bank holiday.

It is not proposed to proclaim the 27th December next a bank holiday.

I would like to ask the Minister if he has considered the great boon that would be conferred on a very large number of citizens of this State who are working in banks by proclaiming the day after St. Stephen's Day a bank holiday, and that in conjunction with that the proclamation of the day as a bank holiday would cause no inconvenience, as the day following St. Stephen's Day has always been regarded as a business holiday?

In this matter of the proclamation of bank holidays we have heretofore acted on the application of the banks. No application has come from the banks this year for the proclamation of the 27th December as a bank holiday.

And the workers in the banks do not count?

They are represented by the banks, I presume.