The leader of the Green Party has admitted the Government he was part of almost ran out of money twice at the height of the economic collapse.

Eamon Ryan says there weren't enough funds to pay public wages in September 2008 and again in Autumn 2010.

His comments follow a report in today's Sunday Times which claims the Irish army was on standby to stamp Euro notes as punts in 2012 when there was a risk of a Euro collapse.

Eamon Ryan, who was part of the rainbow coalition Government in 2008, claims they were almost unable to pay many professionals including doctors and teachers: