Mr. Brian Cowen:

Well, they were prepared ... I mean, you know, Mr. Cardiff, I think, in his testimony has been able ... as only a public servant can, put a good balance on the benefits that we must attribute to the ECB in this situation. But from the political point of view, it was difficult for me because I felt that there were sources putting it about that the Government had made a decision which it hadn't then made and I think, you know, those democratic procedures should be respected even by bureaucracies, however powerful.