The Green Party and Fianna Fail are split over whether bankers’ salaries should be capped, it was claimed tonight.
Greens leader John Gormley insisted in his televised address to his party's convention that the Government will set lower limits for the pay of executives.
However, Fine Gael today claimed that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is not as committed on the issue as the Greens believe and TD Phil Hogan accused Mr Gormley of posturing in front of the TV cameras.
"Last week in the Dáil, the Finance Minister was given the opportunity to back calls for bankers' pay to be capped," said Mr Hogan.
He added: "He refused. John Gormley knew this yet, when the cameras were on he continued to bleat on using words that he knew were nothing but hollow."
Fianna Fáil has ignored yet another policy from its Coalition partners, claimed Mr Hogan.
"John Gormley can postulate all he wants when the cameras are on but if he can't get his ideas through Cabinet, there is little point in him being there at all," he added.
Speaking to 600 delegates in Co Wexford last night, Mr Gormley said: "We have called for a cap on the salaries of banking executives. And — believe me — this will happen."
The Environment Minister also said he will be introducing tough legislation to ban political donations from big business.
As preparations continue for the April 2 Budget, Cabinet minister Eamon Ryan insisted today that new bus services in Cork, Galway and Limerick would remain priorities despite forthcoming cutbacks.
Meanwhile Green TD Paul Gogarty is considering his position as education spokesman after delegates voted to set up a party group to pursue policy objectives in the area.
PA