TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen does not officially have to disclose whom he telephoned for advice on the night of the talks leading to the Government bank guarantee in September 2008, according to the Ceann Comhairle.
Labour finance spokeswoman Joan Burton tabled a parliamentary question asking Mr Cowen whom he telephoned on the night of September 29th and early morning of September 30th “to seek advice in relation to the bank guarantee or other options for resolving the banking crisis”.
The Ceann Comhairle, Séamus Kirk TD, wrote to Ms Burton on Tuesday disallowing her question, saying: “The Taoiseach has no official responsibility to Dáil Éireann on this matter.”
Economist Alan Gray told The Irish Timesearlier this month that the Taoiseach had called him on the night of the guarantee to obtain his views as a director of the Central Bank on the likely market reaction if a guarantee was introduced.
Mr Gray attended the controversial post-golf dinner with Mr Cowen, Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick, another director of the bank, Gary McGann, and former Anglo director Fintan Drury at Druids Glen in Co Wicklow in July, 2008.