Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

We do not know what the liability is. The Commission has put a figure on the table which we have contested strongly. We have used the conciliation procedure in the European Union.

The conciliation council has made a recommendation which we consider to be positive. The council representatives have made a recommendation that we talk because they believe there is a basis for agreement. I have no wish to overstate this but it certainly means they did not conclude that Ireland has to pay up. They concluded that we should talk more. This implies a lower figure. We are in the throes of those negotiations, which are tricky and difficult. The Commission representatives have asked us to undertake additional audit inspections and have sent over their auditors again.

France got a bill for €1.1 billion in this area.