Sinn Fein Calls For Anglo Statements

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has said both Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Taoiseach Enda Kenny must make a statement regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding Anglo Irish Bank.

In a statement, Mr Adams said the "email correspondence involving the Taoiseach and Anglo Irish bank is further evidence of the unhealthy relationship between politicians in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and those in the banking system whose policies led to the banking collapse.

"The email correspondence involving the Taoiseach requires a speedy response and explanation from him. However the greater onus for a full and comprehensive statement rests with the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and his former cabinet colleagues who were in government at the time of the banking collapse and were intimately involved with Anglo.

"The recent questions arising the Anglo Irish tapes and who knew what within Fianna Fáil and the Fine Gael/Labour government, are still unanswered. Fianna Fáil seeks to distract attention away from its role in the banking collapse while the government refuses to provide a full explanation of who knew what within the Department of Finance and if they told government Ministers.

"The Taoiseach should clarify the circumstances surrounding the emails but of equal importance is a full statement from Micheál Martin about what he and his Fianna Fáil colleagues knew at the time of the banking crisis."

The AIB was nationalised in 2009 after its heavy exposure to property lending meant it was badly affected by the downturn in the Irish property market.

Last month, the Irish Independent published "secret recordings" which contain recorded telephone conversations with senior officials allegedly laughing and joking about how the bank was tricking the State into giving it billions of euro.

(JP/CD)