NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Government may collapse over Sean FitzPatrick meeting - SEE POLL

Government may collapse over Sean FitzPatrick meeting - SEE POLL

Corrupt banker met with Irish Prime Minister says new book

PATRICK O'BRIEN,

Published Monday, January 10, 2011, 4:37 AM

Updated Monday, January 10, 2011, 4:45 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

4 Comments

Brian Cowen

IrishCentral.com Poll

The Green Party, the minority party in the Irish government, has asked for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Brian Cowen after it was revealed he met the former Anglo Irish Bank boss, Sean FitzPatrick before the bank guarantee scheme was unveiled.

It is possible the Greens may pull the plug on the government early if Cowen is not able to satisfy their inquiries as to why he was meeting with the most notorious of the corrupt bankers.

FitzPatrick has become the poster boy for the collapse of the Celtic Tiger economy. His bank went bust with debts close to $50 billion.

Extracts from a new book on Anglo's role in Ireland's financial downfall, show FitzPatrick had several meetings with the Prime Minister in advance of the announcement of the bank guarantee scheme at the end of September 2008.

Published in yesterday's Sunday Times, extracts of The Fitzpatrick Tapes, reveal that the former chairman played golf and dined with Cowen at Druids Glen in Co.Wicklow on July 28, 2008.

Fitzpatrick said the bank’s affairs were not discussed during the meetings.

Senator Dan Boyle of The Green Party said that his party views the revelations 'very seriously' and it is 'concerned' about the details revealed in it.

Labour Finance Spokesperson Joan Burton stated it is 'beyond belief' there was no discussion at the July 2008 of the bank's position,” given that its share price had collapsed on St Patrick's Day 2008.”

The extracts reveal that FitzPatrick phoned Cowen, who was then the Minister for Finance, to discuss the bank’s collapsing share price and voice his concerns over Sean Quinn's dealings in the bank.

John Gormley, the leader of the Green Party has requested a meeting with Cowen tomorrow morning to discuss the revelations.

In a statement to the Sunday newspaper, the Fianna Fail leader confirmed he has met with FitzPatrick. He insisted that Anglo's financial woes did not come up at the dinner.

"It was a social occasion and the affairs of Anglo Irish Bank were not discussed," the statement said.

FitzPatrick resigned as the chairman of Anglo Irish Bank in December 2008 and was declared bankrupt in July 2010.

Nster.com

E-mail

4 Comments

See all comments

trawler | Jan 11, 2011, 07:07 AM EST

The response of republican Sinn fein has been very disappointing.They said nothing about Ireland losing it's sovereignty and people, not to mention it's bankruptcy.

Report abuse

Searlit | Jan 10, 2011, 12:27 PM EST

Hard to believe nothing was discussed. Especially when it was shown that the government had been concealing the real figures that the banks owed, from the public, up to the last minute.

Report abuse

peterquinn | Jan 10, 2011, 11:32 AM EST

"It was a social occasion and the affairs of Anglo Irish Bank were not discussed," the statement said. HA, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The funniest line out of Ireland in years.

Report abuse

katetipp2 | Jan 10, 2011, 07:36 AM EST

And we are to believe Mr. Cowen when he says the banks affairs were not discussed. Does Cowen think we all came down in the last shower. If John Gormley does not pull the plug on the Government now he is just in it for himself and not for the good of the Country as he is always saying. What more does it take for Gormley to do something in the interest of the Irish people

Report abuse