Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

No. I will say it again. Professor Honohan was very careful this morning to make clear that the decision in these matters rested with the Government, not himself. He said this during the course of his interview this morning. He was adamant on the point. Of course he is of great assistance in these discussions and I am in constant contact with him because of his organisation's deep knowledge of the banking sector and given his participation in the work of the governing council of the European Central Bank, ECB. Naturally and properly, he is associated with these discussions, but he is not a plenipotentiary in them. Any result of the discussions is subject to Government approval and the conduct of the negotiations is subject to my direction. That is the position in respect of the discussions themselves. It is important that it be understood.

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