Brian uses all his lifelines on Anglo 10 quiz

THE contestant looked nervous and agitated, but then he was playing for the highest of stakes on this edition of Who Wants To Bail Out A Millionaire?

The Dáil spotlight burned into Brian Cowen as he again struggled with the e300 million question: Name the 10 mystery money men who did so well out of the Anglo nationalisation and describe, precisely, their relationship with your Government?

“I’m not protecting anyone!” the Taoiseach indignantly declared, even though that was not one of the possible answers quiz master Enda Kenny was looking for.

The Fine Gael leader was enjoying Mr Cowen’s obvious discomfort and in a rare display of parliamentary deftness, got the better of him when the Taoiseach insisted Mr Kenny was leading a smear campaign.

“The charges made by the Taoiseach are beneath his office, but typical of him,” Mr Kenny shot back, barely concealing a self-satisfied smile as he did so.

The notorious Golden Circle appeared to be tightening around the Government’s neck as the search for the identities of the 10 men who were approached to invest e300m in Anglo shares — paid for by dubious loans from the bank itself — intensified.

The bank will not pursue the lucky lads for the e75m they put up as security for said shares. And, sure, why would they? The maxed-out taxpayer is footing the bill — let the special needs kids and the old and the cold bear the cost.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore then took over as inquisitor general and the Taoiseach gave the definite impression of a player whose lifelines regarding the Government’s indulgence of Ireland’s grossly dysfunctional banking sector had all but slipped away.

Mr Cowen had already asked the audience, but was too alarmed to take their advice when the poll showed an overwhelming majority favouring Fine Gael, and even Labour, answers over his own ideas.

Fifty/fifity had come and gone when the bank guarantee gamble and the sudden move to plough billions of euros into Anglo left the money markets questioning the Taoiseach’s risk-seeking panache.

Phone a friend was not really an option now either — it seems the receiver hooked up at the Galway tent had been disconnected due to an unpaid bill.

Mr Cowen insisted he did not know who the mystery money men were, despite being informed of trouble at the scandal-splattered bank almost one year ago.

However, the Taoiseach was keeping his nerve, not folding like Cabinet colleague Brian Lenihan who stumbled badly on last week’s episode when it emerged he could not read the question before him.

It was humiliating for Mr Lenihan, especially as he was playing for charity and wanted any winnings to go to a good cause supporting the little known plight of illiterate middle-aged finance ministers who are unable to read key paragraphs in briefing documents when about to plunge billions of euro of taxpayers’ money into scandal-hit banks.

Mr Gilmore decided to expand the scope of the probe and ask far more pointed questions regarding Mr Cowen’s decision when Finance Minister to overrule the Revenue and not allow stamp duty to be imposed on share deals known as contracts for difference — a device where speculators do not buy shares, but effectively gamble on whether they go up or down. Such reckless dealing was rife at Anglo and Mr Gilmore knew he was on a winner if he could finger Mr Cowen for not putting the brakes on the practice.

The Labour leader was most curious to know exactly which businessmen had lobbied Mr Cowen to persuade him against imposing the levy two years ago.

FF backbenchers looked momentarily terrified lest the list dovetailed into the Golden Circle, But, unfortunately, the Taoiseach was unable to recall names, stating later pressure came from industry bodies.

As we await a final answer on the mystery money men, the Anglo questions just keep coming — the Golden Circle keeps closing in.