Cowen criticised over delays in finalising bank bailout

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen was under fire last night over delays in finalising the €400 billion bank bailout.

Despite strong indications from Finance Minister Brian Lenihan that the details of the controversial initiative would now be before the Dáil, the measure may not be fully revealed until after next week’s emergency budget.

Both Labour, which opposed the guarantee, and Fine Gael, which backed it, again called on the Taoiseach to state how much financial institutions will be charged for the taxpayers’ support and under what circumstances.