Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The agreement is not a international agreement as outlined in that article. The agreement is of the type referenced in Article 29.4 - Deputy Gilmore could have read that one out, but he did not - which deals with the question of exercising executive power in external relations pursuant to that article. The agreement makes available a facility for money which, in terms of financing and funding the State, is normally obtained by the National Treasury Management Agency-----

See this speech in context