Michael McGrath has raised it at the Finance Committee. Ciaran O'Donnell is following on
McGrath: The tapes. It's not up to me to reach conclusions as to whether any criminal action took place in Anglo or elsewhere. But it should be referred at least. How did you arrive at the conclusion not to refer?
Honohan: My grandfather ( a newspaper sub-editor) would be horrifed at the headline "CB sees no wrong" . Why did we put out that statement? We owe it to the public not to pretend that we have sufficient new evidence of criminality, when we don't. We are not slow to go to the Gardai. We have nothing new. that is all it means.
We wanted to communciate with the public.
Ciaran O'Donnell: Had you heard the tapes before they were in the Indo?
Why issue the statement yesterday, just before we were about to discuss the mortgage arrears issue?
Honohan: No we didn't have the tapes. Early 2009, we took the decision to pass on all the file to the Gardai. All the file. We had some transcripts of some recordings, but not the Indo tapes.
All of that was new to us.
What word to use? We wanted to dampen down collateral damage abroad.
There is new information. So why are we not doing it?
There isn't a smoking gun.
Co'd : But you said that they "deliberately misrepresented their position"
Honohan: Was there a theft or an attmpted theft? No.
CO'D : But they coaxed us into the front room...
Honohan: But that is not enough for a court. There is nothing more than a telephone conversation.
CO'D ; Did you seek legal advice?
Honohan: Yes
Cod - why didn't you pass on the information to the Gardai
Honohan: But they read the newspaper too! ( my point ) . We don't need to pass on stuff that is in the public arena.
We don't have an investigative role...
CO'D: But you passed on the previous tapes.
Honohan: I am not being facetious - but do you want me to send them on a copy of the Sunday Information.
CO'D: (Very annoyed ) You are being facetious. I will ask you to reflect on it.