The Opposition has called for an inquiry into the leaking of commercially sensitive information on the Government's plans to limit the size of supermarkets.
Labour's deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, last night called on the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, to state if she had a role in the disclosure of the information, following revelations that she discussed the issue during a dinner with Tesco executives at a crucial time in the Cabinet's discussions on the subject.
The dinner took place in a Dublin hotel hours after the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, sent an aide-memoire to Government detailing plans for the cap on supermarket size. Mr Michael McKenna, assistant secretary at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who attended the dinner, said the issue was one of a number Tesco wanted to discuss.
He said it was only discussed in "generic terms". He remembered thinking Tesco was better informed than he was on the issue, as was the Tanaiste, but pointed out that this was not an area he usually dealt with.
"Tesco were aware that something was live about it. However, in actual fact the Tanaiste was playing somewhat of a devil's advocate role, making counter-arguments to them, including the effect of such large supermarkets on small towns."
A spokesman for Ms Harney said last night: "The only contact the Tanaiste had with Tesco's was in an official capacity at that dinner and she had brought two civil servants with her." Asked if there had been any informal discussion between Ms Harney and Tesco's communications director Ms Sara Morris, a former PD press officer, he said Ms Harney was out of contact.
Ms Morris said: "We have nothing to say about this."