The "Creating A Social Economy" chapter of the programme for Government commits the State to using its bank shareholding in the best interests of the Irish people. At 7.15 this morning, three of what I can only describe as "heavies", dressed in black and acting on behalf of a vulture fund, seized a factory in Navan and told the 20 employees turning in for work at 7.30 a.m. to go home. The company had its loan book sold on by a bank to the vulture fund and it seized that viable factory this morning. How is the Government using its bank shareholding in the best interests of the Irish people beyond the commercial interest the Taoiseach cited earlier? I have 20 people standing outside in the cold in Navan anxiously waiting to know.

It is in the best interests of the Irish people that they get their money back from the bank bailouts and we will get at least half of it back, if not more. It is in the interests of the Irish people that their deposits in the banks are protected and it is in their interest that banks operate commercially in order that they can lend to people who need to borrow money, businesses and others. That is how we use our shareholding to make sure that the banks operate in the best interests of the Irish people.

I do not have any knowledge of the case the Deputy raised and, therefore, it would be wrong for me to comment on it, but suffice to say that before any repossession can occur of a home or a business, the case has to be heard in court and the judge has to be satisfied that the grounds for repossession are legitimate.