Fine Gael has called on the Taoiseach to carry out an inquiry within his office as to how information left out of a reply to a parliamentary question was received by a journalist before it was placed on the Dail record.
The Fine Gael spokesman on public enterprise, Mr Ivan Yates, last night said it was "clear that Mr Ahern's spin-doctors were given a clear hand in peddling this material to certain members of the media". Following a meeting between the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, and his junior minister, Mr Martin Cullen, it emerged last night that the draft reply, to a question from Mr Billy Timmins of Fine Gael, had been given to a member of the Taoiseach's political staff.
This was done, according to Mr Cullen, "because of the involvement of the purchaser of the building [Irish Intercontinental Bank] with matters of current public concern and that it should be brought, therefore, to the attention of the Taoiseach's Office as they have a responsibility in this matter relating to the Moriarty tribunal".
Mr Timmins had asked the Minister for Finance whether his Department had sold any assets or property between 1987 and 1992 without putting the sale out to public tender. In a written reply last Wednesday, Mr McCreevy said it would not be possible to provide an answer until later as all the relevant information had not been complied.
However, a draft reply had been prepared by the Department of Finance which included information in relation to a property sale to Irish Intercontinental Bank in 1987 by Mr John Bruton, who was then minister for finance.
The Government said last night the decision not to furnish the full reply was taken by civil servants in the corporate services division of the Department of Finance.
The information in the draft reply was conveyed to a journalist on Wednesday by a member of the Taoiseach's staff. A Government spokesperson last night said "someone in the Taoiseach's office made the information available believing that it was already in the public domain".
The Minister of State responsible for the Office of Public Works, Mr Martin Cullen, said he was "entirely satisfied that I, and my office, acted with propriety at all stages."
Earlier yesterday, the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste appeared to differ over the significant of the issue. Mr Ahern said talk of leaks and conspiracy theories were unfounded. However, Ms Harney, describing the affair as bizarre, said there had been a leak.
Fine Gael will press the Taoiseach in the Dail today for further explanation of the sequence of events leading up to the release of the information. Fine Gael believes there was an attempt to embarrass Mr Bruton over the sale to IIB, which is central to the Ansbacher controversy.
However, Mr McCreevy has confirmed Mr Bruton acted in accordance with official advice in relation to the sale in 1987.