FORMER MINISTER for finance Charlie McCreevy has not read the two reports on the causes of the banking crisis, but will appear before a banking inquiry if requested to do so.
Mr McCreevy made these remarks yesterday before being presented with a trade facilitation gold medal award by the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) for his role in pushing through the EU Services Directive.
He told reporters he has not yet read the banking reports but might do so over the summer.
The former EU commissioner came under fire in 2008 when he said that people would be “insane” to read the Lisbon Treaty.
When asked about the role of tax breaks in the banking crisis, Mr McCreevy said he has been out of Irish politics for six years. If he is asked to appear before an inquiry he will do so and will deal with “those questions” then.
The report, prepared by Central Bank governor Dr Patrick Honohan, sharply criticised the Government’s budgetary policy – under the stewardship of successive ministers for finance Mr McCreevy and Brian Cowen – for contributing to the overheating of the economy.
At the IEA annual lunch at which Mr McCreevy’s award was presented, association president Liam Shanahan said the value of Irish services exports could rise by €10 to €14 billion a year as a result of the directive.
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