Mr. Dermot McCarthy:

Just to say, Senator, I don't recall the text of the letter being quite in that form but that was certainly the message.

I think it's ... it is a puzzle. As you say, the process of, at least, preparatory engagement was well under way and I can only assume that it reflected the sense of anxiety on the part of the ECB about both the extent of their exposure to the Irish banking system, but also the broader euro situation where the fragility, the spreads vis-à-visperipheral member states and so on were creating a very worrying outlook. And I think the need to, in a sense, close off this particular source of instability was probably a very high issue of concern. I've no greater insight than that.