TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny’s spokesman yesterday moved to clarify his apparent suggestion that a file containing details on the night of the bank guarantee was shredded.
Mr Kenny yesterday told the Dáil no file “or shred of evidence” about what happened on the night of the bank guarantee in September 2008 could be found in the Department of the Taoiseach. “It is either shredded or has been disposed of or dispatched of,” he said.
Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath called on Mr Kenny to clarify his “flippant” comments.
Asked about Mr Kenny’s remarks during the post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, the Government spokesman said he thought the Taoiseach was hypothesising about what might have happened.
“He’s saying whatever happened to it [the file], it doesn’t exist. It may have been shredded. It may have been destroyed in some way,” the spokesman said. He denied the Taoiseach was making any allegations.
He also raised the possibility that no file ever existed, pointing out that ministers were consulted by telephone as part of the incorporeal cabinet meeting that night. He said the current Government, on taking office, had attempted to find out what happened that night. A file would have helped answer outstanding questions.
Mr McGrath said Mr Kenny needed to clarify whether he had any evidence that files on the bank guarantee had been shredded and, if so, whether he had referred the matter to the gardaí. “If he has no such evidence, then the comments should be withdrawn . . . It ill behoves the Taoiseach to cast aspersions in this way on persons that could include serving and former civil servants, his predecessor as taoiseach and former government ministers – one of whom is deceased,” Mr McGrath said.
Mr Kenny should not make “flippant comments” on the possibility of files in his department on government decisions having been shredded, he added.
