Fine Gael’s attempt to “play politics” with the independent Garda and ODCE investigation into Anglo Irish Bank shows it is only interested in “media management” and putting “gestures before justice”.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Galway West TD Frank Fahey who has criticised the call, made today by Fine Gael, for more resources to be given to the Gardaí to aid the investigation into the bank.
“What makes Fine Gael think it can second guess those who are involved in the investigation into Anglo?” said Dep Fahey. “Only last Friday the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said he had the ‘skills and ability’ needed to advance the investigation. Clearly, Fine Gael think politicians know better than policemen.”
Dep Fahey said he shares the public’s outrage over the way Anglo behaved, but that “outrage is no substitute for hard evidence”.
“While the process is painstakingly detailed, the huge work undertaken to date is extremely encouraging,” he said. “Forty people are working full time on this investigation. It is clear that uncovering the truth in relation to the reprehensible events at Anglo remains a top priority for the Gardaí, the ODCE, and the Government.”
Dep Fahey accused FG of trying to get the public to believe that the Government can “just snap its fingers and people will be thrown behind bars”.
“This is not how a democracy works,” he said. “In a free society a Government cannot seek to direct investigations. Our job is to make it clear to the relevant authorities that they have our full support, which we have done.”
