Vol. 495 No. 2
101 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the report of the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service on banking supervision; if he will bring the recommendations of the committee to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19590/98]
I am aware of the contents of the report to which the Deputy refers. The House will be aware that, in response to public concerns raised in conjunction with allegations about certain activities of particular banks, I established, in April of this year, a working group to investigate the law and practice governing the provision of financial services in Ireland and the impact that this has on consumers. The issue of a single regulator for the financial services sector emerged in the course of that group's deliberations. I can confirm that this issue is under examination at the moment. It involves consideration of such issues as the status, structure and functions of a single regulator. The Tánaiste and I intend to jointly submit a memorandum on the subject for consideration by the Government in the near future.
