Mr. Brian Cowen:

As I say every Taoiseach ... I think every Taoiseach will have concerns about some of these things. But you ... some things, you know, you have to be realistic in the world we live in too. But, on issues as important and as sensitive as this, you know, you're entitled to expect that your Ministers act professionally and ethically, and to act ethically in that case means not being involved in discussions of issues that are still before Cabinet. Once they're decided by Cabinet, you have an obligation to get out there and defend those decisions and inform your public as to why you're making the decisions you're making.