Taoiseach's statement on golf with Anglo Irish Bank chief 'beyond belief'

Seán FitzPatrick

PEARSE DOHERTY has described the Taoiseach’s statement that his golf round with Anglo Irish Bank boss Seán FitzPatrick just two months before the controversial bank guarantee in September 2008 did not discuss the banking situation as "beyond belief". The meeting was only revealed at the weekend.

The Taoiseach said he is "quite clear that no discussions regarding Anglo Irish Bank took place” during the day's golfing at Druid's Glen, there was no hidden or secret agenda, and any suggestions anything wrong occurred are “malicious, unfounded and have no basis in fact".

Pearse Doherty countered that it is beyond belief that the Taoiseach spent up to six hours in the company of Seán FitzPatrick without discussing the situation at Anglo Irish Bank.

There are still questions to be answered by the Taoiseach, Pearse Doherty said:

If Brian Cowen has nothing to hide then why has he never mentioned his golf outing with Seán FitzPatrick up to this point?

Why did the Taoiseach never mention before the phone call he took from Mr FitzPatrick?

Pearse Doherty added:

This whole episode just highlights once again the cosy and inappropriate relationship between Fianna Fáil and senior bankers in this state.

The Green Party, the Sinn Féin TD said, must pull the plug on this Government and allow for an immediate general election.