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TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has said that emergency measures are being considered to ensure the inquiry into the activities of the former Anglo Irish Bank can be completed.
The announcement comes after a report in today’s Sunday Business Post revealed that the head of the state’s commission of investigation, Judge Brian Cregan, had drawn up a damning report on the probe.
Cregan is understood to have told the government that the commission has not been given sufficient powers to look into certain transactions at IBRC.
A statement issued by the government press office on foot of the report confirmed that the commission had determined that it was “not in a position to proceed with its investigation into any of the relevant ‘write-off’ transactions”.
The statement said Kenny has requested urgent advice from Attorney General Máire Whelan on the implications of the determination, and the legal options now available to ensure the investigation can be finished in “an effective and timely manner”.
“The government believes that it is essential that a full and independent investigation into these transactions is completed as quickly as possible,” the statement added.
Allegations
In an interview on RTÉ’s This Week programme Catherine Murphy TD, who led calls to establish the inquiry, said the government needed to clarify why it had not anticipated the kind of difficulties raised in Cregan’s report.
What advice did they get from the attorney general when they were setting the commission up? Was this particular issue explored?
The commission of investigation was established in June to probe IBRC sales where there was a loss of at least €10 million to the taxpayer.
The inquiry was proposed on the back of allegations about the 2012 sale of Siteserv to businessman Denis O’Brien for €45 million.
It is due to report on transactions between 21 January 2009 to 7 February 2013, when the bank was wound down, before the end of the year.
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Fantastic recognition. Proper order too that these great women are celebrated. Too long have women been written out of Irish history. This is a refreshing change for the better.
Great article and great to see these women being recognised…. Fair dues to all! Good job they weren’t nuns or we’d be inundated with the anti nun brigade even though there were lots of well intentioned religious who did similar when the state abandoned their responsibilities.
@Jerriko17: One good nun or priest, remaining so, if they were aware of what was going on in their religious institutions, are guilty by; Association.
@ÓDuibhír Abú: Typical!!!!!!!… Seemingly only nuns and priests can be guilty by association. Maybe those voted for the government of the times were guilty by association too. What a load of…… !
Great women. Makes you wonder how much more of an impact women like these would have had on the growing state without the dominant church influence.
@Lad_ Well we know that they had no personal involvement with men at all being as far as we know in a lesbian relationship for decades .This.gave them the freedom to concentrate on their important work something that would be impssible for most married catholic women , under strict instructions from the church to be forever bearing and rearing children , while being simultaneously without proper recognition in law ,
Fantastic to see, especially during pride month!
Better late than never .These women came from privileged ,enlightened backgrounds for which we.can only be truly grateful .They had great courage and energy and achieved what they did largely one suspects because they weren’t as suppressed and depressed as so many catholic women were .
have your say