The Public Expenditure Minister is refusing to be drawn into criticism of the Governor of the Central Bank over the content of the Anglo tapes.

The tapes - published by independent newspapers - raised concerns that Anglo may have misrepresented its financial position when it sought Central Bank support in 2008.

But the Central Bank put out a statement earlier this week saying it found there was nothing new in the recordings to warrant a criminal complaint and they did not forward the matter to the Gardai or the Director of Corporate Enforcement.

Patrick Honohan yesterday said the behaviour in the Anglo tapes was outrageous but that it did not shed any new light on the ongoing investigation.

Brendan Howlin has been quizzed in the Dáil after Mr. Honohan admitted he had not listened to all the tapes but was certain there was no sufficient new evidence of criminality.

That led to the Labour TD and Chair of the Finance Committee to call on Governor Honohan to clarify.

In the Dáil the Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary-Lou McDonald accused the governor of sitting on his hands, but Minister Howlin refused to be drawn into criticism.