Professor Patrick Honohan:

I want to give the Senator a good and comprehensive answer on this. The ECB and the eurosystem are a creation of the governments of Europe. It is not accidental that I am plucked out of nowhere. I am plucked out of Ireland. I am designated by the President on the advice of the Taoiseach to be the Governor of the Central Bank. That means something, in particular that if there are discussions coming up in the ECB that involve Ireland specifically, I had better make the Irish point of view and interest known and express them in the strongest possible terms and most comprehensive and convincing way because nobody else has that responsibility. Therefore, it is very important that I am there as myself. That means, however, that I am an Irish person and I am very knowledgeable, aware and conscious of the issues. This has never caused a problem for me.