Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is the first point. His Government signed off on that interest rate. On 11 March, the Council of European leaders decided that there should be an interest rate reduction in principle applied to countries in a bailout. That was a responsibility delegated to the Ministers for finance because the stress tests were not completed on the Irish banks at that time. As I pointed out to the Deputy previously, the issues now the central focus of discussion among European leaders are the issues that Ireland put on the table, that is, the entire question of the fund, its flexibility, maturity dates, interest rates and a number of other options. As we meet here this morning, the agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the eurozone leaders is under very active consideration. Officials from our country went to Brussels yesterday evening.

From that perspective when the Deputy asks a question about how can confidence be displayed here, I remind him that we did not ask to be in this loan repayment bailout situation.

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