Pre-Christmas Dáil debate vital, says opposition

THE €10 billion bailout of the country’s biggest banks must be debated in the Dáil before it breaks for a five-week Christmas recess on Thursday, the opposition said last night.

The Labour party said the last three days of Dáil business must be used to vote on legislation needed to use part of the €18.7bn National Pension Reserve Fund for the recapitalisation.

Labour’s Finance spokeswoman Joan Burton said it is “unthinkable” that politicians would go on holidays until January 27 with the recapitalisation plans “up in the air”.