Enda Kenny labelled 'scared' of Denis O'Brien

By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been accused of staying "silent" on the IBRC deals controversy and "going into hiding" instead of standing up for Dáil rights because he is "scared" of business Denis O Brien.

The claims were made during the latest leaders questions debate in the Dáil today, which was the first opportunity for opposition TDs to personally rebuke Mr Kenny for what they claim was his failure to comment throughout the height of the crisis.

During a now infamous discussion on the issue on Thursday May 28, Independent TD Catherine Murphy revealed that Mr O Brien was given a 1.25% interest rate on his significant personal IBRC loans when a 7.5% rate could have been sought.

While it was initially believed this "preferential" treatment was covered by a separate High Court injunction on RTE broadcasting similar information, the following Tuesday the presiding judge clarified Dáil comments remain entirely privileged - meaning they can be reported on.

The situation caused major national and international debate, and led to the Government setting up a commission of investigation last week into IBRC's business dealings, alleged preferential treatment of some clients and "unusual" share fluctuations in the weeks before the controversial Siteserv sale.

Speaking in the Dáil today - the first time the House could discuss the issue after a refusal by Government to recall parliament last week - opposition leaders lashed out at Mr Kenny over what they said was his complete silence and inability to stand up for public rights at the height of the dispute.

"Are you scared of this individual [Denis O Brien], were you afraid of him," asked Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin as he accused the Taoiseach of an "absence of leadership" when he "ducked and dived" from commenting on the matter last week.

"On May 28 Deputy Murphy gave information that was robust and reliable. Within minutes of this being reported the shutters came down. The national broadcaster was silenced, the Sunday Times and broadsheet.ie covered it, but all other media were effectively silenced.

"And Taoiseach, you were also silenced. You didn't criticize the media blackout. You went into hiding," the Cork South Central TD said, adding Mr Kenny was willing to comment on everything from "Sepp Blatter to bottle banks" during the period.

After heckles from Fine Gael TD and Government chief whip, Paul Kehoe, that at least Mr Kenny "has followers" to listen to him, the Taoiseach defended his position by saying he had "five public engagements on the Friday" and the same on each of the following two days.

He said it would have been pointless to recall the Dáil and "talked ourselves around in circles" before the High Court clarified the Oireachtas could comment on the matter, an "extraordinary" response Mr Martin said was "shallow politics" and missed the point entirely.

"I believe Deputy Murphy used Dáil privilege. Judging by your comments clearly you don't. You were deliberately absent, opening pubs and restaurants and whatever else. We didn't need the High Court to come forward and tell us [what could be reported," he said.

Speaking during the same debate, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said Government has been "deliberately vague" in answering questions on IBRC, Siteserv and related matters since they were first raised.

"You are supposed to protect the taxpayers' interests. You're the Taoiseach," the exasperated TD said.

Independent TD Tom Fleming, speaking for the Technical Group, added that the controversy has highlighted "another web of the same old situation" and questioned if we "have learned anything" from previous banking scandals.

He said the State "could have been spared this inquiry if Deputy Murphy's questions could have been answered" properly in the first place and noted the judge who presided over the beef tribunal more than 20 years ago similarly criticized the then Fianna Fáil-led government for the same way it treated parliamentary questions.

However, to much anger among the opposition benches, Mr Kenny said Government has always been "very anxious" to get "all of the information out there in the public domain as quickly as possible".

He said this "strategy", which related to a now scrapped KPMG investigation that was due to be completed by August but was dogged by conflict of interest claims, has now been "overtaken by events" and that TDs will have to wait until December for the answers.

Addressing accusations of a lack of transparency as Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett sought to calm another round of heckling from the opposition, the Taoiseach said his Government has "reformed the Freedom of Information system" to make it possible for TDs to "get more information".

The issue relates to Independent TD Catherine Murphy, who was only able to highlight a series of issues continuing to surround IBRC through FOI requests after she said 19 questions to Finance Minister Michael Noonan in the Dáil were not fully answered.