Could the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed be about to sign up its newest - and most high profile - member? Perhaps not.

Meath man and former Bank of Montreal chief, Matt Barrett, who was the guest speaker at the annual dinner of the Financial Services Industry Association on Tuesday, said he was reasonably certain it was the first time the address had been delivered by someone who was unemployed.

The Margin assumes Mr Barrett is correction in his assumption although he pointed out his current status is a temporary one.

He officially takes up his new job as chief executive of Barclays on October 1st.