Claim of cover-up on pension levy advice is ‘balderdash’, says Kenny

FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin accused the Taoiseach of being embroiled in a “cover-up” regarding advice given to the Government ahead of its pension levy raid.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny dismissed the claims as “balderdash” and insisted the revenue was needed to fund his administration’s centrepiece jobs initiative.

Mr Martin demanded the Taoiseach publish advice seen by the Cabinet ahead of the levy decision, after it emerged Social Protection Minister Joan Burton told Mr Kenny in April that the move could have negative effects.

“She told you well before the levy was announced that it could incentivise or force some pension schemes to close,” the FF leader said in Leader’s Questions.

After criticising the way it took a Freedom of Information (FoI) trawl to reveal Ms Burton’s intervention, Mr Martin added: “You covered up on this, Taoiseach, deliberately.”

Mr Kenny dismissed the remarks and, pointing out that Fianna Fáil had reduced the scope of FoI requests, he said: “Your allegation to say that there was a cover-up here is absolute and utter balderdash. Your allegation of keeping information secret is without foundation.’’

The Taoiseach insisted the letter he received from Ms Burton had been “routine” and that it went into her view of how the levy could affect her department.

Mr Martin has several times called for the Government to publish the advice it received from officials ahead of the imposition of the pensions levy, which is set to raise about €450 million a year to fund job-creation schemes.

Mr Kenny’s spokesperson said the pensions industry had received a lot of financial breaks during the boom and it was now time for it to help in the struggle for national economic recovery.