Ms Fiona Ralph:

I am from the Department of Finance EU budget unit. When the EU budget is used to lend, there are two different ways it can be done. It can be provisioned, as in money is set aside in the budget in a kind of savings account, like what the Cathaoirleach said. There is a number of instruments for which that is done, for example, certain macrofinancial assistance, InvestEU and the European Fund for Sustainable Development. In that way, a pot is put aside in case there are defaults.