‘Cabinet confidentiality’ blamed for withholding files

THE Department of Finance has blamed “cabinet confidentiality” as one of the reasons for not releasing files to TDs looking into the events surrounding the night the Government decided on the bank guarantee.

The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said yesterday it had been waiting nine weeks for documents about discussions between officials on September 29, 2008 – the night the bank guarantee was put in place.

Department secretary general Kevin Cardiff wrote to the committee this week telling TDs that he was “anxious” to cooperate with the request for files but that a number of difficulties were preventing their release.