The Tánaiste describes today's CSO figures, which show jobs are disappearing and emigration has started again, as a "challenge". The people who are challenged are those who have lost their jobs, for whom the challenge is how they will pay their bills. The people who are challenged are those whose businesses are in trouble and for whom the challenge is how to get credit to keep going and stay in business. The people who are challenged are those who are still at work who are worried now about how much more bad news the Tánaiste and the Government have for them in increased taxation or even pay cuts. At the heart of the challenge, and its cause, was what happened in the banking system, particularly what happened in Anglo Irish Bank. That was the rotten bank at the heart of the whole toxic problem that caused the collapse in our economy.

I have some questions to ask the Tánaiste about Anglo Irish Bank. Last December, we first heard of the practices and scandalous goings on in that bank. Directors paid themselves huge bonuses and organised back-to-back loans that shifted money from one institution to another. Around the same time, Bernie Madoff was arrested in New York. Since then he has been tried, convicted and jailed for 150 years. Unfortunately, since then we have heard very little about anybody being called to book regarding what happened in Anglo Irish Bank. The only thing we heard was that there was a high profile Garda raid last February about which we have heard nothing since. Yesterday we were told about eight directors who have €22 million in loans between them. Over the weekend we also heard speculation that additional money is to be put directly into the bank. I am not talking about NAMA but about recapitalisation money being put into Anglo Irish Bank. This bank has been in State ownership since January.

I wish to know two facts. First, when will we see somebody brought to book for what happened in Anglo Irish Bank? What is happening to the investigations we were told were taking place? When the Labour Party proposed that an inspector be appointed to examine what went on in Anglo Irish Bank the Government rejected this and stated that the matter would be investigated by the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Garda. What has happened? Where is the report?

Second, how much additional money will the Government put into Anglo Irish Bank? It was mentioned in the Sunday Business Post over the weekend that the figure of €3.8 billion already put in was to be increased to approximately €10 billion. Can the Tánaiste tell the House how much more of the taxpayers’ money, which is needed for our schools and hospitals and the services which the public consumes, will be put into Anglo Irish Bank?

There are ongoing investigations by the Garda and the Director of Corporate Enforcement. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Ahern, has provided additional resources for that investigation as have I to the Director of Corporate Enforcement. This House facilitated additional legislative measures in order for that matter to proceed.

I appreciate, and I believe we all share, the frustrations concerning these investigations but unfortunately, unlike some others, the Government cannot be populist about this matter. In no way can we infringe on the current investigation which is very wide ranging. A considerable number of reports and interviews are taking place. The option is available to the Director of Corporate Enforcement, if he sees fit, to have an inspector appointed. We do not direct him. He is independent and has access to the courts if it is his considered view that an inspector should be appointed.

Our system of justice is not similar to that of the United States of America. We must deal with the legislative measures which we have at present. It would be imprudent of me or the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to direct anybody whose function is independent of Government with respect to this investigation. What we can ensure, and assure people of, is an ongoing investigation and that the requisite resources required by the Garda and the Director of Corporate Enforcement are being made available. We hope this matter will be brought to finality as quickly as possible.

Regarding Anglo Irish Bank, I have heard comments by many people that the bank is not systemic. I do not feel it is appropriate that we should have a situation whereby we would allow this bank to collapse. That is why the decision was made to nationalise the bank. There are still business transactions there, though not as many as heretofore. There are still depositors in the bank.

These are just roll-over transactions.

Those depositors are very important and are guaranteed by the State. I believe it is appropriate that we continue to support those people. I appreciate very much the Deputy's view with regard to Anglo Irish Bank but it is the considered view of the Government thus far that in NAMA it will deal with many issues appertaining to Anglo Irish Bank. The Minister for Finance alluded to this in his speech last week. Moreover, the Government will consider whatever capital injection is necessary to the banks in order that they can continue and revert back to their most important function, which, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, is to get credit back to business.

The Tánaiste is right in one thing she said. Our system of justice, certainly as it pertains to corporate crime, is not the same as that of the United States. In that country they treat corporate wrongdoing somewhat more seriously than we do apparently. The public is not reassured that the investigation is ongoing. That is what worries the public and we have not seen any results from it yet. The Tánaiste has not been able to tell the House as to when it will be concluded and when we will see some accountability for it. This is an investigation into matters which took place in what is now a State owned bank. Meanwhile, all we are getting is the lámh amach from the banks, and in particular from Anglo Irish Bank.

The Tánaiste told us that the Government will consider whatever capital is necessary for Anglo Irish Bank. People who make up the statistics in today's CSO report, people who have lost their jobs, people whose businesses are in trouble, and people who are facing possible pay cuts and tax increases, are in this position due to the carry on of Anglo Irish Bank in particular. It was not the only bank, but it was the worst offender by far that was reflected in the figures provided by the Minister for Finance last week, when he stated that €28 billion of the toxic loans associated with that bank. We have to fork out for it and on top of that, the bank is now looking for more money to recapitalise. Can the Tánaiste tell us if the figure that Anglo Irish Bank will require is as high as the €10 billion that was reported in one of the newspapers last Sunday?

She has stated that the Government will consider whatever capital is necessary, but we do not get the same approach from the Government at all. She is not telling the hospitals, the schools or any area of public life in this country that they will get whatever money is necessary. She is not telling people who need to get back into employment that the Government is going to provide whatever money is necessary in order to get them back to work, yet she is telling us that the Government will provide whatever capital is necessary to keep Anglo Irish Bank alive. How much is that? It has got €3.8 billion of our money already. How much more will the bank get?

A seat in the Seanad for Seanie.

The last thing I will do today is speculate about how much will be given to any bank.

We have had enough of that.

Nor will I say whether what is written in the newspaper is the truth or otherwise.

Seeing as the Department of Finance——

Deputy Burton, please.

Every Member of the House wants to have these investigations completed as quickly as possible. Some of us are here a number of years and we know that these things take time. We also know that comment in this House can have an adverse effect on these investigations. I do not want to see that and neither does anyone else.

Does the Tánaiste want to muzzle us?

It is the Opposition's fault.

Was Mr. Appleby told that?

The Deputy would rightly criticise us if we interfered in due process, and I do not think he is asking us to do so. It is a matter for this House to determine the laws of the land under our Constitution. We are proceeding as quickly as possible with regard to the investigation on the basis that it is independent of the political process. If we do not want it to be independent of the political process, then we will have to change it. However, I am sure that if there was political interference, the Deputy would be the first man in the House to give out about it and say that it was not the right thing to do. People should take on board the fact that within the realms of possibility, this matter will be dealt with as quickly as possible.

On the issue of Anglo Irish Bank, the Deputy put forward his party's view on nationalisation. How much money would that cost the State?

Sure, the Government nationalised the bank.

I was talking about further nationalisation.

The Deputy wants to nationalise them all.

Just the Fianna Fáil banks.

We have made a decision to nationalise Anglo Irish Bank. I said that I am not prepared to speculate on the amount of money needed. As the Minister indicated in the context of NAMA and in the context of the other two main banks, due diligence is being done and considered on the capital requirements that may be necessary when the NAMA legislation is passed by the House.