Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

On the substantial matter, I find it inexplicable that the proposal to burn unguaranteed senior bondholders was not pursued. If it had been accepted, we would be talking about a lesser burden of €20 billion. Apparently, such a proposal was being discussed at the time of Mr. Geithner's alleged intervention. It would have made a difference of €20 billion to the Irish people. Given that it would have funded 100 of the Government's jobs initiatives, it would have alleviated this country's unemployment crisis. The Taoiseach is telling us that he did not raise the matter with President Obama. He seems completely uninterested in whether this allegation is true.

See this speech in context