Eamon Ryan insists Trichet acted to protect bondholders

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has insisted that the European Central Bank had a very strong role in telling Ireland not to burn the bondholders.

Mr Ryan said he disagreed with statements made by former ECB president Jean Claude Trichet in response to questions put to him by members of the banking inquiry last week.

Mr Trichet last week denied the ECB forced Ireland into a series of financial measures during the crisis. He also denied that he told former finance minister Brian Lenihan to save the banks at all costs.