Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2013
221. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if any of the auditors assigned to Anglo Irish Bank-Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, or the Garda investigation team into the bank and potential fraud, have identified any gaps in the minutes of meetings held in the run up to the guarantee and subsequently, or in recordings of phone calls. [31766/13]
View answerThe Department does not have responsibility or insight into the investigations undertaken by the Gardaí or any other authorised investigating bodies. I have not been made aware of any gaps in information, including phone recordings, by the current or former auditors of IBRC/Anglo Irish Bank or by the Garda Síochána in relation to these matters. Under statute the Garda Síochána are the body responsible for criminal investigations in the State. Neither, the Department of Finance nor the Government have previously had access to these tapes or related documentation. They went directly from Anglo Irish Bank to An Garda Síochána as part of the material that was supplied to them over four years ago as part of their investigation into matters in Anglo Irish Bank. It would be completely inappropriate for the Department of Finance to act outside of its legal powers and interfere with any investigation that could compromise potential future criminal or civil investigations by the bodies responsible under statute.
