THE leader of Fianna Fail, Mr Bertie Ahern, has indicated that legislation compelling people such as Mr Ben Dunne to appear before a Dail committee may be necessary to get to the bottom of the Dunnes Stores payments controversy.
Citing the experience of the committee established after the Brendan Smyth affair, Mr Ahern pointed out that it would not have worked if it had not been given the power to compel witnesses to attend.
"We had to bring in legislation to get the then attorney general in front of the committee. Everyone co-operated with that. But you can imagine what would have happened if Harry Whelehan or the new AG had not attended. We wouldn't have been able to have any investigation," he said.
Under the current Government proposal, only Oireachtas members will give evidence at the inquiry, to be established through the Committee on Procedures and Privileges, following a study by Judge Gerard Buchanan of the Price Waterhouse report.
This process was unlikely to reach a satisfactory conclusion, Mr Ahern said.
"I can't see how they can have any investigation into anything if they don't get the people involved to give their sides of the story," he said.
He suggested that if the committee could not question all the people involved a tribunal of inquiry might be necessary.
Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Mr Ahern also called on the Taoiseach to confirm whether Mr Lowry gave details of all his tax affairs, including his availing of the tax amnesty, on assuming ministerial office.
Mr Ahern said Mr Bruton should give his recollection of events described by the former minister in the Dail on Thursday. While Mr Lowry was entitled to avail of the tax amnesty, Mr Ahern said, he questioned why the Taoiseach did not object, given that he had spoken against the legislation.
"Did the Taoiseach criticise Mr Lowry for allowing his tax obligations to go undealt with until the amnesty took him off the hook?" Mr Ahern asked.
The FF leader also said there could be difficulties surrounding Mr Lowry's eligibility for the tax amnesty.
The legislation, which Mr Ahern introduced as minister for finance, required that tax returns for the year 1992 were in place in addition to a declaration by April 5th, 1991.
"You cannot be a beneficiary of the amnesty, and the special terms that were there, if your affairs were not in order. So if there were matters that he was not returning, as it seems now in his `92 position, then Revenue will pursue that and he could very well lose the benefits of the amnesty," he said.