Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 127: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has satisfied himself with the level of briefing and cooperation he received from his Department prior to the election on 25 February 2011; if he was given a complete overview of the country's finances; if his attention has been drawn to all aspects of the EU-International Monetary Fund agreement regarding bank restructuring; if he has satisfied himself that he was fully informed of the budgetary position by the officials before his appointment as Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7397/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy will be aware of the arrangements put in place by the previous Government to facilitate the confidential briefings which were provided to the Opposition parties in the autumn of 2010. The Department of Finance also provided costings, on a confidential basis, to parties that requested them for the purposes of the election, a facility which was also provided for previous elections. In the period between the general election on 25 February 2011 and the appointment of the Government, Department of Finance officials and officials of other Departments and agencies, provided detailed briefings to the parties which were negotiating a programme for Government, at their request, on the matters mentioned by the Deputy. I also received briefings from officials from other Departments. I have no reason to believe that these briefings were other than full and frank.