Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not clear whether the Minister has answered the question. The ECB responded to a question by my colleague, Ms Martina Anderson, MEP, which stated: "It would be standard practice in line with our principle of sincere co-operation among public institutions for the Irish Department of Finance to consult the ECB on potential release of the letter." It then refers to the Department of Finance and "the potential release of the letter to the Oireachtas in light of the then prevailing circumstances on the basis of the appropriate weighing of relevant European Union interests". This reads like the ECB is seeking a veto over the release of the letter and it seems the Minister is handing that veto to the ECB.

The ECB sees its responsibility as weighing the appropriate relevant European Union interests, but the Minister's responsibility is to weigh up Irish interests on this issue. I ask the Minister to stand up for Irish interests in this regard.

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