I will speak about the banking whistleblower, Mr. Jonathan Sugarman. I speak in the wake of Senator David Norris who brought up the issue in 2010. Mr. Sugarman was the risk manager at Unicredit Ireland and went on to-----

Bí cúramach. The Senator cannot mention the names of whistleblowers or anybody else. In doing so she might bring the Seanad into disrepute. She should be ve very careful.

I have a reason for mentioning the name and will come to it.

I again advise the Senator not to do so.

The particular individual was ignored by his bank, our banks, the regulator and political parties. People can say it is in the past, but it is not and it will not be in the past for 40 years. It is certainly not in my past because it brought about a decrease in my salary and pension in the form of the universal social charge which is applied to everything we earn. Therefore, it is not in our past. The man in question was not allowed to speak at the banking inquiry. Through the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, I would like to invite the particular gentleman whom I am not allowed to name in the Seanad.

Since the man could not speak at the meetings on the banking crisis and he has not spoken in the Dáil, I would like to bring him here because I want to ask him a lot of questions. I would like him to tell us why he has not been able to find a job for the past eight years and what happened when he was in Ireland in 2007. I want him to tell us the truth. I am asked almost every day, or it feels like it is every day, about the financial crisis. I want to know what is going on with the public that has left them disengaged from politicians and feeling angry. The disenfranchisement and financialisation of people's lives is one of the reasons people are angry. We will soon have to pay for air.

Yes.

I ask the Leader to invite the gentleman who I am not allowed name but who everybody knows because they have heard him on radio and television to attend the Seanad in early January. It would afford us an opportunity to speak to him, for him to speak to us and then we could question him since he was not allowed to comment at the banking inquiry and has not spoken in the Dáil.

I cannot speak for the banking inquiry. The only way people can be invited here, which is the protocol, is with the agreement of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

Yes. I request that the gentleman be invited to attend the Seanad. I have let all of the Senators know.

I suggest the Senator formally write to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges..

If I were allowed to ask Senators to vote on the matter, I am sure they would vote with me. Since I am not, I wish to announce that I will ask the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to invite the gentleman in question.

In order for the Senator to do so, she would have to change the Standing Orders and the rules of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.. It is the Committee on Procedure and Privileges that grants approval and if it agrees, the invitation will come before the House where Senators can vote on the matter.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. As members of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges are sitting here listening to me, at least I have started an argument on the matter.

The Seanad is not the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I suggest the Senator formally write to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges with her request. The matter will be considered in due course and as early as possible.

I thank the Cathaoirleach.