THE TÁNAISTE has refused to say if the Government intends to publish the Expenditure Review Committee report.

Mary Coughlan said it was appropriate, and equally important, to say that the public should be made aware of the choices that must be made and the context in which this would be done. But there was a process to be followed.

“First, the Minister for Finance gets the report and then the Cabinet see its,” she added. “The Cabinet members consider the report and final decisions are made afterwards.”

Ms Coughlan said the process would be adhered to and a final decision made by the Cabinet on when, how and where the report would be published in due course.

The Tánaiste was replying to Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

Mr Gilmore said his party would not agree to any proposal relating to the scheduled Dáil business until the Tánaiste gave the House an assurance that the report would be published.

“The weekend before last, almost every newspaper carried the story that the McCarthy report would be available to Government last week,” he added.

“I assume those stories were on the basis of briefings from Government, but the Government has now contrived not to receive the McCarthy report until the Taoiseach is no longer in a position to answer questions on it in the House.”

Mr Gilmore said the Government had conveniently received the report within hours of the Taoiseach taking his last Opposition leaders’ questions.

He said he felt he spoke for the majority of members of the House when he said that the report should be published.

Agreeing, Mr Kenny said the confusion epitomised what was wrong with the Government, as it dithered on every issue.

“The problem the Tánaiste and Government face is whether to publish the report,” he said.

“Publish it and be damned. If the Government did not want to publish the report, it should have asked Mr McCarthy not to supply it until the end of September.”

Mr Kenny warned that if the Government decided to hang on to the report until after the second Lisbon referendum, matters would be made worse for the Government.

Mr Ó Caoláin said the matter was not the preserve of the Government and the Opposition had a contribution to make to the resolution of the problems. “One thing is certain: we must face the fact that this McCarthy cup will not be overflowing with good news,” he added.

“I urge that the details of this report be circulated and that we be given the opportunity to address them properly.”

If necessary, Mr Ó Caoláin said, they should have the chance to address the report in the coming week. “Surely it is within the gift of the Government to agree to this.”