Former Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore supports Kenny’s army claim

Former tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has backed Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s claim that there were talks about the army securing banks during the eurozone crisis, and also said that there had been plans to relaunch the punt.

However, Mr Gilmore has denied Mr Kenny’s claim that the suggestion to secure ATMs with soldiers had come from then-Central Bank governor Patrick Honohan.

Mr Gilmore has described in his political memoir, published this week, how the Fine Gael-Labour Coalition at one stage considered emergency legislation for a flu epidemic, which was a front for security controls during the eurocrisis.