Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask the Governor about a financial transactions tax. Eleven eurozone countries have recently signed up to proceed with a tax on their financial transactions. The Minister, Deputy Noonan, has said that such a tax would put 33,000 jobs in the IFSC at risk and that he would not do it without the co-operation of the UK. At a recent event in Dublin I spoke to Ed Balls, MP, who said that even as an opposition politician he would not agree with a financial transaction tax in the UK without the co-operation of New York. In June 2010 the Governor said that such a tax would do little for improving the efficiency or safety of the financial system and would not generate as much revenue as some would suppose. At a level of 0.1%, how much would such a tax raise? Does he still hold the view that it would do little for improving the efficiency or safety of the financial system in Ireland?

I would like to get as tight language as we possibly can on the Government's ambition to exit the EU-IMF programme in 2013. Does the Governor believe such a target is achievable and credible?