Call for investigation into `leaking' rejected

Amid heated exchanges during the Order of Business, the Taoiseach denied that the Government had leaked the names of Ansbacher account holders.

Mr Ahern and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, rejected Opposition demands for the publication of the names and that a Garda investigation be launched into the leaking of some of them.

Earlier, Ms Nora Owen, the Fine Gael deputy leader; Mr John Gormley (Green Party, Dublin South East) and Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) moved emergency motions calling for the full disclosure of the 120 Ansbacher account holders. They were ruled out of order by the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison.

The Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, watched the proceedings from the distinguished visitors' gallery.

The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, said the House should take the report stage of the Companies Bill today to amend Section 21 to allow the publication in a proper way, with due notice, of the Ansbacher list. This would mean that people on the list were not the victims of "selective and malevolent leaking", and would have an opportunity to give an answer about their situation.

He also urged Mr Ahern to deal with the "criminal offence" of the leaking of disinformation in a selective way without due statutory authority. "Will the Ansbacher list be given to the Garda Commissioner so that he can establish if a leak has occurred, and will the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste and other ministers be willing to be interviewed by members of the Garda?"

Mr Ahern said the Companies Bill would not be taken today. "I am satisfied that the State has not breached any of its obligations under the Companies Act in any way. I am satisfied that the Government has not leaked any information to the media, and the Government is not going to lend credibility to any speculation in the press or anywhere else about the contents of the report. It would be wrong to confirm or deny any alleged leaks. I have no intention of doing so."

Mr Bruton asked how the Taoiseach could be satisfied about the matter without allowing the gardai to investigate the 15 people who received the document. If he did not give the Ansbacher list to the Garda, how could it be known if a leak had or had not occurred?

"Could I remind the Taoiseach of the attitude he took to leaks during the presidential election, when we had a dawn raid on a person who was never prosecuted?"

The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, asked on what basis in law had the Taoiseach received the report. "Is he aware that Government personnel are telling journalists and others in this House that they have copies of the report?"

Mr Ahern said he had received a copy, adding that the Tanaiste was authorised to give one to a person she had designated.

Mr Quinn suggested that Ms Harney designate Mr Pattison as the authorised person to put a copy of the report in the library of the House.

Ms Harney said: "I took advice on this, and other than the people prescribed in the Act, the only people who got a copy of the report was the Taoiseach as head of the Government. No adviser to the Government, or any Minister in the Government, received a copy."

Mr Quinn said that last Christmas the Tanaiste had said she was anxious to have the report published as soon as possible because she was horrified by its contents. Ms Harney interjected: "In a fair way. . ."

Mr Quinn asked if she thought it fair that people other than those nominated by law were boasting to members of the House and others that they had copies of the report. This assertion provoked cries of "name them" from the Government benches.

Mr Ahern said that one of the most dangerous aspects of the matter was for people to be giving any kind of credence to names going round. "Nobody can confirm or deny those matters."

When Mr Bruton repeated his demand for a Garda investigation, Ms Harney remarked: "Are you sure there was leaking?" Mr Bruton said the one way to find out was to give the report to the Garda Commissioner.

Declaring that he could answer for the Government, Mr Ahern said: "We are quite satisfied that we have leaked no information."

When the Labour leader asked if the Government would publish the legal advice it had received warning against the publication of the Ansbacher report, the Taoiseach said he had already given it to Mr Bruton and he would also give it to Mr Quinn.