Hanafin: Latest Anglo controversy 'not helpful'
Tourism Minister Mary Hanafin has said the controversy involving the Taoiseach and the former Chairman of Anglo Irish Bank is "not helpful".
Mary Hanafin said she did not believe there was any impropriety on the part of Brian Cowen after the revelation that the Taoiseach had contacts ahead of the banking guarantee in 2008 with Sean Fitzpatrick at a charity golf outing and dinner.
Brian Cowen has insisted the crisis in Anglo was never discussed at the event.
Minister Mary Hanafin said that while she fully accepted the Taoiseach's version of events, the incident did create an unfortunate perception.
"We certainly do not want people to feel there was any underhand connection between government and banking which there certainly wasn't," she said.
Watch the Opposition question the Taoiseach on his controversial meeting with the former Anglo boss Sean FitzPatrick live at 3.45pm in the Dáil at the video link below.
