Dunne gave £7,000 to Fianna Fail party

FIANNA Fail received only £7,000 from Mr Ben Dunne in the years covered by the tribunal, according to the party's general secretary…

FIANNA Fail received only £7,000 from Mr Ben Dunne in the years covered by the tribunal, according to the party's general secretary.

Mr Pat Farrell told the tribunal that party fund-raising included direct requests to businessmen on a standard form, and donations to party headquarters were recorded on a standard form. "No favour is attached, or if it was it would be returned," he said.

Following a request from the tribunal a search was made of all the documentation, and all 3,000 units of the organisation were written to, as were all members and former members of the parliamentary party.

There were no records of any donation from Mr Dunne to the national party, he said.

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Two responses came from individual units. Kilcoole Fianna Fail received a hamper from Dunnes Stores in Bray worth £20, and the Dublin South West organisation received £6,000 from Mr Dunne himself. Mr Dunne also fielded two teams, at £500 each, in a fund-raising golf classic.

Mr Farrell said he had sent three letters to Mr Haughey about the matter. The first was a letter to all members and former members of the parliamentary party informing them that the tribunal had been set up and that the party was co-operating fully with it.

The second asked them if they had received any money. The party leaders during that time, Mr Haughey, Mr Reynolds and Mr Ahern, received letters. Mr Reynolds and Mr Ahern replied saying they had not. Mr Haughey did not reply to any of the letters, he said.