Taoiseach Bertie Ahern again insisted that he was not aware of the misuse of the party leader's allowance when he was Fianna Fáil treasurer under Charles Haughey.
He said that he had dealt with the matters in the Moriarty report relating to him in answers to questions from the tribunal. This was the appropriate way to do it.
"I am happy the tribunal accepted my evidence and was satisfied that I had no reason to believe the leader's account was operated otherwise than in an orthodox fashion.
"I am also pleased the tribunal stated in a report that it is noteworthy that, at my insistence, amendments have since been made in the governing of the leader's allowance accounts. I have already dealt with the matters relating to the conduct of Mr Haughey."
Earlier, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said that Mr Justice Michael Moriarty found that Mr Haughey had stolen taxpayers' money from the leader's allowance and that the Taoiseach facilitated this by writing blank cheques.
Mr Ahern, he added, had "facilitated the theft of taxpayers' money".
Mr Rabbitte also asked: "Has the Taoiseach any regrets now regarding the disingenuousness of his reply, when he told my predecessor, former deputy Dick Spring, that the cheques were supervised by a senior party member and he did not identify the fact that he was the member at issue?"
Responding to questions about the cost of the tribunal, Mr Ahern said the total cost to his department from 1997 to last February, was €27,071,138.
This included fees paid to counsel for the tribunal and administration costs incurred since its establishment.
The total payment made to the legal team was €20,882,453 up to last February. He understood the tribunal's work, including the report, would be completed in this calendar year.
"As we have done in some of the other tribunals, on that basis it will be allowed to complete its work under the existing arrangements.
"I understand the public hearings are finished. I have been told by my officials it is possible there could be a limited number of days of public session hearings, but that is a call for the tribunal," the Taoiseach said.
Mr Ahern said the tribunal's entire work would be finished in the course of next year.
Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked when there would be a substantive report on the review of legal fees applying in the case of the Mahon tribunal.
Mr Ahern said the Mahon tribunal did not come within his remit, but he believed the review of legal fees is still the subject of discussion.
