Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Discussions will take place as outlined in the statement. It speaks about engaging in a short and focused consultation with the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF in order to determine the best way to provide any necessary support to address market risks, especially as regards the banking sector, in the context of the four-year budgetary plan and the forthcoming budget. That is what was agreed last night and those discussions will begin tomorrow. When those discussions have been concluded people will have had an opportunity to examine and discuss all the issues. It is important that everybody understands the implications of any proposals and that they are thought through. That is the Government's position. The Government will not formally be involved in engaging in a facility or making a decision of that type without that preparatory work being done, so we can consider whether in fact this is an issue that can be resolved in that way. However, we must work through these issues and that is precisely what we are doing.

With regard to the Deputy's second point regarding the question of credibility, there is no credibility----

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