Mr. Paul Gallagher:

Firstly, I didn't get involved in moral issues, neither did I get involved in political issues. The concern of the Government was quite clear to me. It had nothing to do with protecting the industries.

The view was taken, whether rightly or wrongly - and it's for others to judge - that this was a very important aspect of Ireland's economic recovery. That's how it was expressed to me ... that if you do anything to interfere with foreign direct investment, you are postponing the recovery for everybody's benefit. And that was the only consideration I was aware of and no moral issue arose that I knew.