O’Keeffe to voice opposition to assets agency

THE budget will be criticised from within the Fianna Fáil ranks in the Dáil today when rebel backbencher Ned O’Keeffe speaks out against plans to introduce a toxic assets agency.

The Cork East deputy will use the special budget debate to hit out at the Government’s decision to set up the agency to buy up to e90 billion in property and development loans from troubled banks.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen, insisted yesterday that the decision was taken to ensure a functioning banking system in order to “maintain jobs and get back to the functioning economy we all want to see”.