A number of Fine Gael backbenchers have expressed concern about the manner in which the party conducted its internal inquiry into payments to politicians.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, spoke at length on the issue at the weekly parliamentary party meeting yesterday. He said he would have been happier if some of those named in the report had had notice of its publication.
It is understood that some TDs expressed sympathy for those who were named in the report as not having furnished adequate information to the investigation committee, which was chaired by a senior counsel, Mr James Nugent.
One of those named, Senator Liam Cosgrave, was not at the meeting. He has written to Mr Bruton protesting strongly at what he claims was unfair treatment in the report.
Mr Bruton said last week he would not allow anybody whom the inquiry considered had not provided full information on donations received to run for the Dail unless extra information was furnished.
A party source said that rather than being criticised about the report Mr Bruton was questioned in detail about it by parliamentary party members.
He appealed to any member with any additional information that would help the inquiry to provide it so that the report could be accordingly amended.
He was happy with how the inquiry was handled. Difficult questions had been asked and he was sorry that in some cases full information was not forthcoming.
The message Mr Bruton sent to party members was that Fine Gael was an honest party. If people wanted to donate money to the party they should recognise that they did so with no strings attached.
The matter of political funding or the Fianna Fail inquiry into payments to politicians was not raised at the weekly Fianna Fail or Progressive Democrat parliamentary party meetings.