Mr. Bertie Ahern:

Yes, I don't ... there were two major things happened, Chairman. The amount of taxation that was directly related to the residential ... to property was too high ... too high and, you know, I accept responsibility for that. I was head of Government ... 24%, almost 25% in the economy, you know ... you know, that was ghastly when you look back at it ... you see it. On the other side, you look at what the banks did ... you know, the Nyberg report, all that happened on the banking side. But the bit I'm not too sure of ... the international crisis that came on top of it ... talk about all the cards being played against you in one go, Chairman. I think sometimes we forget ... internationally ... just the extent of what was happening worldwide in those few months. Rightly so, we looked at what was happening in Ireland and how it was effecting us and the banks ... and ... but look at what was happening worldwide, the extent of the investment bank system ... the banking system put the world under ... to get that on top of our problems ... I'm not defending our problems. I've said the two vulnerabilities that were there - one I take for responsibility for, I take no responsibility - none - for what was happening in the Central Bank or in the Financial Regulator because I had no knowledge or control over it, despite what people think and accuse me of. But the international hit ... the international hit was just massive and I think that ... to, kind of, say that had nothing to do with it does ... I'm not ... if I was here with him, I had have an argument with him but he's not. But I just think that is too harsh a statement and I would like be able to argue that point with him.