Mr. Brian Cowen:

Well you have to listen to ... you have to make what's in your interests. If you burn them on the one hand and you end up having to pay 7% and 8% for bonds over the following 15 or 20 years, you'll probably end up in a debit situation compared to what you've burnt. You know, you've got to figure out and be advised what ... where the balance of your interests lie. And as long as we were in the markets, there was a view that certainly we shouldn't do it. Not because you'd be ... you know, just being deferential to them, it's in your own interest not to do it because you want to make sure you have a group of people out there to fund your deficits as you try to get into a budgetary balance and move to growth. But the other point is that, you know, if it's in your interest to do it then there's nothing to stop you doing it but you better know what the consequences are and have them factored in.