A confidential report from 2008 into Ireland's banks shows that just 22 men owed up to €25.5bn to their banks. The names include Sean Quinn, Johnny Ronan, Denis O'Brien and Sean Dunne.

According to the Sunday Business Post, the PwC report also estimated that banks would lose no more than €10.6bn at worst, though this was qualified by saying accuracy was dependent on whether the banks were truthful.

The final bailout figure amounted to €64bn.

After receiving the PwC report, then Taoiseach Brian Cowen claimed in the Dáil he was right to guarantee the banks, as they had more than enough cash to survive the next three years.

The report also shows banks were unaware of the scale of the losses they were to face. AIB told PwC its biggest impaired loan at the time was one of €31m to a chicken farmer in Poland accused of fraud.