SF increases calls for Cowen to clarify Anglo dealings
Sinn Féin's Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty has said that revelations of direct contacts between the Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Anglo chairman Seán Fitzpatrick "raises further questions".
The Sunday Times has reported today on contacts between Mr Cowen and Mr Fitzpatrick in March and July 2008 - critical junctures before the introduction of the State's bank guarantee.
Anglo Irish Bank has cost the State €34bn to date under that guarantee.
Mr Doherty said: "This raises further questions over the motivations behind Government banking policy in the run up to September 2008 and the introduction of the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill commonly known as the Bank Guarantee."
"The Taoiseach’s claims that he played a round of golf and had dinner with Mr Fitzpatrick but that the situation in Anglo Irish Bank was not discussed is severely lacking in credibility.
"Furthermore revelations that he spoke by phone to Mr Fitzpatrick in March 2008 while still Minister for Finance in relation to the share prices in Anglo Irish Bank raises further questions about the cosy consensus between the Fianna Fáil government and the bankers and speculators who have brought down the economy.
"The Taoiseach needs to come clean on the full extent of the Governments contacts with senior bankers in Anglo and other banks and how much they really knew when they introduced the Bank Guarantee in September 2008."
