Lenihan: A heavily qualified, mealy mouthed apology.

According to a report by Irish Independent political editor Fionnan Sheahan the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has apologised for his part in the economic crisis.

I was a member of the party throughout that era and I’m certainly sorry for what happened, no question of that.

I might not have been in a position of lead responsibility, but in so far as even I was a member of the governing party, as a deputy supporting it or Minister of State supporting it, I have to take responsibility.

Sheahan’s report, however, only tells part of the story. Lenihan’s apology was heavily qualified. He only accepted part responsibility blaming the Opposition and everybody else for getting caught up in a degree of unreality.

When George Hook asked for permission to report that the Minister for Finance had apologised for the mess Lenihan replied:

I didn’t say that, I said I would apologise to the extent to which the government played a part in this but I don’t accept that the government was the only party responsible.