Ms Cathy Herbert:

The first I heard that that decision was to be taken was when I was phoned late on Friday evening the previous night by Brian Lenihan who asked me would I come in to the Department the next morning, that there would be some media ... he felt he might be doing some interviews and that there was a press release to be got at and would I come in. And I did. The press release was being handled by Kevin Cardiff, he ... it was a short technical press release and then the Minister did some interviews in, as I remember it, in the forecourt of Government Buildings. I discovered afterwards the background to the decision was concern about Irish Nationwide particularly, the impact and to reassure small depositors or relatively small depositors that their deposits were safe. There was a general statement, I don't have it to hand, but it was to the effect that the Government would stand behind the banks. That was also included in that.