Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I have a particular recollection of ongoing debate at that time about the policy options that were available. None of us knows what was said in the Cabinet conversations, but I am led to believe that some of the people who are most opposed to the existence of the bank guarantee, namely top-level economists, were among those who advised in favour of such a guarantee at the time. In view of the level of conflicting advice, to go back to the events of two years ago and see them in a context that did not exist is not helpful. I am convinced that the events of 30 September resulted in an emergency reaction that determined Government policy. That remains the fact of the matter.