Full text of statement by the Tánaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Michael McDowell.
This has been an extraordinary few days in the General Election campaign.
When this campaign began a week ago today, we set out to ensure that the debate would focus on the significant economic and social choices facing this country. Our own focus has been on promoting our particular policy agenda.
Our belief has always been that this election should be about the economy and how we can best preserve the huge economic progress which has been made over the past ten years. However since the very beginning of the campaign, the issue of the personal finances of the Taoiseach has refused to go away.
This issue first arose in September/October of last year. At that time I met with the Taoiseach to express my concerns at what was emerging and to seek to clarify in detail the circumstances surrounding the issue. In response the Taoiseach gave me information which purported to be a full disclosure of all relevant matters in respect of this issue and on the basis of that disclosure, I agreed to continue in Government with Fianna Fail.
However in recent days it has clearly emerged that the information given to me by the Taoiseach was far from complete. During last week I received additional information from a number of sources which suggested that the picture given by various parties to the Tribunal differed markedly from that given to me by the Taoiseach last Autumn.
In those circumstances I felt that it was important for me to ascertain whether these suggestions coming from different sources were correct.
It now appears that the Tribunal has been given a radically different account of the transactions which were the subject of public controversy last Autumn from that which was given to me by the Taoiseach then.
I believe that in any democracy, elected leaders must be accountable to the people in respect of standards of behaviour and truthfulness which impinge on their public duties. I believe therefore it is essential that the Taoiseach must make a comprehensive statement addressing all the new information now in the public domain and that he must do so before the people cast their votes on May 24th.
I believe these issues now go beyond the particular confines of the Quarryvale Module of the Mahon Tribunal [which is confined to two issues in respect of the Taoiseach].
In the particular and unique circumstances in which we now find ourselves, any person wishing to be Taoiseach owes it to the Irish people to be credible and accountable in respect of all matters which have been raised.
When Dáil Eireann is dissolved, members of the Government - including the Taoiseach - continue in office until such time as their successors are appointed. During this time, there is no Dáil in existence to hold the Taoiseach accountable and there is no Dáil to appoint new Ministers or indeed to appoint a new Taoiseach.
In those circumstances accountability is due directly to the people and not to me as Tanaiste. That is why I believe that democratic accountability requires a comprehensive and credible public statement in relation to this matters.
As I said on Thursday and Friday last, information came to me from a number of sources which suggested strongly to that the account given to me last Autumn was very partial, incomplete and - at best - selective.
I indicated publicly on Friday that I would consider this information and reflect on it and to consult with my parliamentary colleagues. That process of reflection and consultation took place yesterday and the overwhelming view of my parliamentary colleagues is that the duty of accountability falls on the Taoiseach, that the Progressive Democrats should insist on such accountability, and that the Progressive Democrats office holders should continue to discharge their functions as envisaged by the Constitution and in fulfilment of our commitment to the Irish people five years ago.
No useful purpose would be served by reducing the size of the Government to 13 members - all drawn from one Party - and handing over the critical portfolios of Health and Justice to caretaker Ministers who, in fairness, would be very unfamiliar with the issues.
Even as we campaign, there are families across this county whose top priority is the provision of health services to them and their families; there are communities concerned about serious crime. Given that we have now just 18 days to polling, to give up on these people and their concerns - so that we could make a political point by resigning would be a misguided gesture.
The issues which arose last Autumn and which have re-emerged now and the disparities in the accounts given then and now are primarily matters for the Taoiseach and his party to resolve. It is for them to address this issues. And it is for us in the Progressive Democrats to insist that they do.
Failure by the Taoiseach to account in a comprehensive and credible way to the Irish people for these matters would make it impossible for him credibly to seek the endorsement of Dáil Eireann for a further term as Taoiseach when the new Dáil meets.