FF ‘wanted to burn bondholders’

Fianna Fáil has claimed confidential correspondence exists which would show the party wanted to burn the bondholders — but the ECB would not let them.

The party has demanded the Department of Finance release the correspondence it claims had been sent to the late Brian Lenihan, the former finance minister.

A letter from the ECB during negotiations on the bailout deal in late 2010 should be published for the historical record, finance spokesman Michael McGrath insisted.