Mr. Eugene McCague:

Chairman, members of the joint committee, I have been asked to assist the joint committee in relation to one specific line of inquiry, namely, the appropriateness of the bank guarantee decision. I provide you with a written statement setting out my recollection of relevant events between Wednesday, 24 September 2008, which, as Pádraig said, was the date in which Arthur Cox was appointed to advise the Department of Finance, up to and including the night of the guarantee. I don't propose to go through the statement here. I'm here to answer any questions on the bank guarantee decision you might ... may wish to ask.