Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Well, first of all, I was extremely concerned and I expressed those concerns in the private briefing with the Department of Finance in relation to the two institutions, Anglo and Irish Nationwide. But a comment was offered that they had a particular model, which I didn't appear to understand. I have to say, that was a fairly seminal moment because my understanding of the position of those two banks was that they were, in fact, a serious contagion in the financial system in Ireland. I was very anxious to see the main street banks in Ireland, particularly AIB and Bank of Ireland, actually salvaged as far as possible because they're just essential to doing business. And the Labour Party didn't, in any way, approach, other than with a sense of deep tragedy and upset and concern, what had happened, because my fear was around what was going to happen to ordinary people in the fallout.