Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The next question was to ask the Taoiseach if he will provide a full list of the documents he has circulated to other eurozone Heads of State or Government. The information relevant to the troika and the assessment of the quarterly review is circulated to Ministries. Deputy Martin said I take a flippant attitude to this. The Minister for Finance wrote officially to the Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs strongly expressing our deep concern that information which was provided, in good faith and on a strictly confidential and limited basis, for discussion at meetings of the euro working group and the economic and financial committee found its way to the German Parliament. The Minister made the point very clearly that when this information was sent to Commission staff they knew that in sending it to the German Finance Ministry it was to be sent to the German Parliament. Unfortunately, we were not so informed. He made the further point that this occurred before the information was provided to the Oireachtas and that this served to heighten our concern. The Minister pointed out that the Commission should, therefore, review its procedures for the handling of sensitive information so as to eliminate or minimise the risks to the integrity of the data being provided. That matter will be followed through on. The Minister went on to make the point that this is particularly unfortunate as we have developed a very good working relationship with the Commission during the implementation of the programme to date.

Deputy Martin is aware that the European Commission confirmed that it was from their sources that the document found its way to the lower committee of the Bundestag, that it was not signed off on by the Irish Government, that these were not signed Government papers and that the document was a draft indicative of what might happen, on the basis of the troika review of our performance in the last quarter. Because the budget is so close the document contained indications of what might happen there.

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