Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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I had better speak fast. Rightly or wrongly, there has been a kind of narrative in this State for quite a while that we lost our economic sovereignty and that the IMF dictated the terms as part of the troika. As a people, we have heard some of Dr. Donovan's IMF colleagues who were involved in the mission in this State recounting their own views in the media. That happened again this week. I would like to ask Dr. Donovan about what his IMF colleague, Dr. Ashoka Mody, had to say on Irish radio - I think it was Newstalk - about the troika deal. I want to quote him directly. When he was asked whether he thinks Ireland's new Government missed an opportunity to strike a deal, he said:

Absolutely. The new Government had so much going for it .... There were clear mistakes that were made for a decade at least when this new Government came in. There was a burden of debt that would legitimately be declared as an odious debt.

I would like to ask Dr. Donovan, on the basis of his knowledge, his experience and his workings in the IMF, whether he subscribes to or dissents from the view put forward by Dr. Mody that Ireland had an opportunity to negotiate the terms with the IMF and other members of the troika.