Ms Cathy Herbert:

I think that inevitably, at a time when things are going well, a Department of Finance probably does lose its teeth and influence. And the centre of activity, if you like, a lot of it took place in Government Buildings. Social partnership was a key part of it and the Department was a bit sidelined. But clearly when the crisis happened and when it really hit, that was front and centre of our minds. They were back in the driving seat. But it probably took time for him to bring home to his Government colleagues exactly how bad the situation was.