The Mahon tribunal ruled this morning that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had not been treated unfairly even though certain documents had not been circulated to him.
Responding to submissions made by Mr Ahern's counsel, Conor Maguire, yesterday, tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon said the tribunal did not believe Mr Ahern is being treated unfairly or "in any way prejudiced" by the fact.
Mr Ahern's lawyers submitted yesterday that they had not had the opportunity to examine former NCB stockbroker Padraic O'Connor on certain issues.
It emerged yesterday the tribunal had approached 11 other stockbroking firms to establish if they had been approached by Fianna Fáil fundraiser Des Richardson in 1993 and 1994.
They had all responded in the negative, the tribunal heard. Tribunal counsel Des O'Neill said yesterday that the documentation was of "zero" evidential value to the tribunal and that it had not been circulated.
Mr O'Connor previously told the tribunal he understood that Mr Richardson was approaching a number of other stockbroking firms seeking donations for Mr Ahern's constituency.
However, at the time Mr O'Connor gave his evidence last year, Mr Ahern's legal team was not aware that the tribunal had written to other stockbroking firms asking them if this was the case.
Mr Ahern's counsel, Mr Maguire, said the ruling today had not dealt with the "fundamental straightforward point" of why the correspondence had not been circulated to the Taoiseach's legal team.
Judge Alan Mahon noted today Mr Ahern's lawyers had not cross examined Mr O'Connor when he gave evidence last year of a £5,000 payment he says was made by his firm to Mr Ahern.
Mr Ahern says the £5,000 was a personal loan to him from Mr O'Connor, as part of a £22,500 "dig out" from friends. However, Mr O'Connor denied that the payment was a personal payment.
Despite the ruling, the tribunal agreed to a request by Mr Ahern's legal team to seek to recall Mr O'Connor to cross examine him on a number of issues.
The tribunal issued its lengthy ruling on a number of matters in relation to Mr Ahern at the outset of proceedings in Dublin Castle this morning.