FG and Labour boycott Cowen meeting

FINE Gael and Labour yesterday boycotted a private briefing with Finance Minister Brian Cowen over allegations his department breached its confidential system for costing proposals put forward by political parties.

The finance spokesperson of both main opposition parties, Richard Bruton and Joan Burton, had been due to be briefed by Mr Cowen on his proposals for reforming the budgetary and estimates process.

But both refused to attend because they contended a politically-appointed advisor to Mr Cowen seemed to be aware of a submission Labour Party had made to the department asking it to cost a policy proposal.

Labour and Fine Gael jointly wrote to Mr Cowen suggesting that a politically-appointed advisor to the minister seemed to be aware of the proposals — the Irish Examiner understands that the proposals related to health policies being formulated by the party.

“Individual tax policy, expenditure and other proposals are costed for political parties in the strictest confidence and on the understanding that no information relating to a costing submitted by a political party will be passed to a Minister, Minister of State, political advisor or political appointee,” the letter said.

The department rejected the claim. The department’s spokesperson said the procedures had not been breached and that the integrity of the system was “absolute”.

Last night, the secretary general of the department, Tom Considine, wrote to the deputies pointing out that had no stage had any material been passed, or information supplied to the minister or any of his political appointees.

The row blew up yesterday when Labour’s director of policy, Colm O’Reardon phoned the department to ascertain if he could attend the meeting.

He subsequently received a call from Mr Cowen’s special advisor Gerry Steadman. According to the letter, Mr Steadman indicated he was aware Mr O’Reardon had been in contact with departmental officials in relation to other matters.

The letter went on to say: “The only contact which Mr O’Reardon had with the Department of Finance this year has been in connection with the costing of the policy proposal.”

The import Labour and Fine Gael took from this was that it appeared Mr Steadman was aware of contact between Labour and Finance regarding the costing of proposals.

But last night department officials said Mr Steadman would have had no awareness of either the details of the proposal, or even the proposal itself.

Ms Burton last night said that both parties would refuse to attend any further briefings unless the situation was clarified.