Professor Patrick Honohan:

Yes. Before my time, in early 2009, was the commencement of looking at certain matters that were going on regarding Anglo Irish Bank and the decision was taken by the Financial Regulator at the time, under the previous legislation, fairly early in that process to transfer all of that file to the Garda. The Financial Regulator was out of that in terms of communicating. It had said, "Look, we have a problem here and we will pass it on". Of course, the Central Bank and staff have provided all the information the Garda has required on the various matters since then. However, the regulator did not look for any further files from there because it was passed over to the Garda. I understand that at that stage in early 2009 some transcripts of some tape recordings were passed to the Central Bank, and I have seen those transcripts. They do not include the materials that were put into the public arena by the Irish Independent this year. The Central Bank had no sight of those recordings. I think in one or two cases there are Central Bank voices on the recordings, but we did not have our own recordings of those conversations. Those tapes must have been recorded on the other side in Anglo Irish Bank. I hope that is clear. We have been out of that investigation since before my time, since 2009. A deliberate decision was taken.