Mr. Dermot McCarthy:

I can't really speculate on that, Deputy, as to what might have happened in that eventuality, but, the whole purpose of resisting, if you like, the pressure to apply, was designed to prevent a loss of bargaining position in the event that that would be put on the table as a condition. There were grounds for believing that it might, as there were for other issues, like collateralisation, and I think the Government, in my view, rightly, decided that it wouldn't be pressed to confirm that it was applying until it was satisfied that such unacceptable conditions were not going to arise.