Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will be as brief as possible. We all know there has been a great deal of reporting on the amount of money that has been injected into this institution - €4 billion since 2009 - but there has been widespread reporting of the financial cliff the bank faces early next year in respect of €2.7 billion worth of bonds that are due to mature. Can the witnesses say whether these bonds are guaranteed and whether they are secured? We know the institution is trying to dispose of assets, which it is doing at a loss because it is a fire sale to recoup money to ensure that these bonds will be paid out. I believe the second payment of this tranche of €2.7 billion is due in April. If the bank is not successful, will there be a need for an additional capital investment from the Irish taxpayer through the Minister for Finance? What is being done to ensure the burden does not fall on the taxpayer again?