Clear Blue Water

The first commandment enshrined in the Ethics in Public Office protocol is loyalty, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan claimed today. ‘Loyalty to ones friends and donors is a core principal of the Fianna Fail party,’ he said.

The Minister agreed that giving oneself secret loans of €129m was ‘misconduct.’ He also admitted that the misconduct had caused ‘huge reputational damage’ to the bank.

‘But that’s all in the past now. We need to move on. We know from the Northern Ireland experience just how bitter things can get when mutual recriminations abound. As far as the Government is concerned the new, nationalised Anglo Irish Bank has clear blue water between itself and the misconduct that emerged in recent weeks. What’s past is past and I don’t want people harping on about it.’

The Minister asserted that there were no more skeletons in the Irish banking closet and vigorously denied that the past would come back to haunt the Government.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley said the decision had been taken in the national interest. ‘We back everything. Just give efficient light-bulbs the go-ahead and we’re yours,’ he said.