John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to put the following quote to you. Almost a full month after the previous references that I've given, on 19 November 2008, Mr. Cowen, in the Dáil, it's on the Dáil record, stated that he expected covered institutions to explore the potential for meeting these capital needs through "raising private capital and the disposal of appropriate assets". He gave no mention of the taxpayer bailout, which was to come in February. Do you believe ... well, I suppose you have suggested at least, and ... the best of you recollection, that you were having those discussion with him before the end of 2008. Why was he not making reference to it, in light of the fact that that capital injection did come in February? On the record of the Dáil, he said something different.