Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Can I deal with that? Can I answer the questions? I of course met Mr. Regling when he wrote with Mr. Max Watson a report on the history and causation of the current economic difficulties in Ireland last summer. I supported his appointment as a member of the financial council and we are fortunate that someone who has considerable familiarity with this country is in that position. I have had no contact with them and neither have my officials, as far as I am aware. Certainly, no contacts have been reported to me.

I cannot rule out an incidental contact, and the Deputy will appreciate that, because he now holds a position in the European structure and it may be the case that meetings take place in the ordinary course of business which have nothing to do with Ireland at which my officials are present, but there has certainly been no contact between me and Mr. Regling regarding Ireland.

I hope that is a sufficiently comprehensive answer to the Deputy's question.

In relation to the alleged presence of Commission officials in my Department, there are no Commission officials in my Department on a permanent or any other basis. They do not have offices or regular spaces in my Department. That does not exist. Incidentally, although the Deputy did not ask the question but for the record, neither are there officials from the European Central Bank in my Department. Neither the European Central Bank nor the Commission has staff permanently attached or permanently present in my Department and there is no permanent facility for their accommodation in my Department.

See this speech in context