Mr. Brian Cowen:

Yes, well as I say, I met the chairman too on a number of occasions but I take the point that there was a view, and a public administration view, that the statutory independence of regulators must be respected and I accept that. But I also accept that given what happened here, there is a need for a more structured interface between a Department of State, like the Department of Finance, and these bodies, and I think if a lesson is to be learned is: the assumption that there isn't a problem because none are being communicated to you either by the non-executives or by the executives doesn't cover the situation sufficiently given what's happened here. And we have ... I hope-----