War of words intensifies

AN increasingly bitter row over Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s role in the disastrous purchase of the €412m Irish Glass Bottle (IGB) site has worsened after fresh information about the origins of the deal emerged.

In October 2006 Mr Cowen, then finance minister, authorised the Dublin Docklands Development Authority to activate its €127m borrowing ability and join the Becbay consortium, which was bidding on the IGB site.

Fine Gael’s Environment spokesman Phil Hogan said Mr Cowen failed to scrutinise the proposal and should not have given the DDDA permission to borrow the money and join the consortium just 14 days after the request was made.

The Taoiseach said he only permitted the DDDA to access lending it had already been sanctioned but Mr Hogan accused Mr Cowen of attempting to “dodge the truth”.

The sniping escalated after Fine Gael circulated documents received under Freedom of Information.