Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

-----of the Department of Finance and indeed, the Government, at the time of this statement was to do everything possible to protect the stability of the entire banking system. at a time of great fragility. In the context of spring 2009, it was important that any statement relating to the liquidity situation in any bank, particularly a nationalised bank where the taxpayer was directly exposed, should have taken into account the potential impact on the broader financial system and ultimately on the entire economy.

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