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

Mr. Cowen, Mr. Trichet was demanding that you essentially bail out the banks but funding taxpayers' money in. And in ... then, in the second last paragraph, "I'm sure ... you are aware that a swift response is needed before markets open next week". Did you see that as him trying to blackmail the Irish Government to panic ... into a decision? And did you consider threatening the ECB back, saying, "Why should we ... or on what authority do you demand that the Irish Government would place the burden of German and French and British banks, and US banks perhaps, private banks, onto the shoulders of the Irish people?"