Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

-----probably more than one. It does not matter. If Deputies want to attach suspicion to what I did, which is what my predecessors would have done when attending such meetings, that is fair enough and we will all know the double standards being applied. At no stage did we do anything inappropriate. Everything we did we believed was in the best interests of our country in the context of the crisis facing us.

As regards social contacts, I do not believe I have had any further social contact with Mr. FitzPatrick since then. I am almost sure that is the case. In the job that one does as Minister for Finance, it would be extraordinary for one to spend one's time in office without meeting people who run banks during some stage in the course of one's duties.

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