Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Yes. And at that very time, Mr. Cowen, the issues of toxic debt internationally and, for example, the sub-prime crisis, the Freddie Mac, the Fannie Mae, those issues would have been quite prominent, which related to the financial situation internationally and the banking situation internationally, could it be possible really to have such a discussion on the economy without a major reference to the banking situation in Ireland, and particularly how exposed the banks were to property?