Greens: Work can be finished in six weeks
Its leader John Gormley said this had not been undermined by the failure of Taoiseach Brian Cowen to reveal two contacts with Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick in 2008.
He said the party was committed to passing the Finance Bill and that could not be done if the Government handed power to the opposition.
Mr Gormley also said he would not entertain any effort to delay the general election process: “We are not going to tolerate a situation where we drag it beyond a certain time.”
The party whip, Trevor Sargent, said he was working with the government chief whip, John Curran, to finalise the timetable using time available in the Seanad, the Oireachtas committees and the Dáil.
The pair were speaking at the party’s think-in held in Malahide ahead of the return of the Dáil this afternoon.
Mr Gormley was asked repeatedly if he believed there was anything inappropriate about the Taoiseach’s contacts with Mr FitzPatrick.
He said it had queried the matter with the secretary general of the Department of Finance, Kevin Cardiff, on Monday and had been assured there was no improper representations by Mr FitzPatrick or Anglo.
On this basis Mr Gormley said its investigation was complete.
“We are not Sherlock Holmes; we have done what we can under the circumstances and we found no evidence. That is where it is,” he said.
The Environment Minister said he had noted problems with communications from Mr Cowen in the past and believed the details of the golf game with Mr FitzPatrick should not have emerged in a Sunday newspaper.
“It should have been put into the public domain earlier — there is no question when you have a incomplete record, it does give rise to suspicions but the fact is that we have tried as best we can to establish if there was any wrong doing, any impropriety, and we cannot find any evidence of that,” he said.
Mr Sargent was asked if his party had confidence in Mr Cowen.
He said the Green Party had listened to what the Taoiseach said and would wait for further answers in the Dáil later today.
Mr Gormley said he had done the utmost to check if the Taoiseach’s versions of events “stacks up” and the opposition would have an opportunity to probe it further this afternoon.
He denied he was being Jesuitical with his assessment of Mr Cowen’s Monday night statement and he could not do any more.
