A blanket prohibition on corporate donations to Dail parties should be introduced to help alleviate public disquiet over the Moriarty tribunal revelations, the Fianna Fail TD, Mr Brian Lenihan, has said.
Speaking on the RTE 1 current affairs programme Question and Answers, Mr Lenihan stopped short of criticising Mr Haughey for channelling money raised to pay for medical treatment for his father, Mr Brian Lenihan, through a party account. He said he would not comment on the matter while the tribunal was still sitting.
Mr Haughey had volunteered to oversee the operation fund and the Lenihan family was satisfied he acted in "good faith".
Mr Lenihan said the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, had not in his view acted improperly when he signed blank cheques for the Fianna Fail party leader's account for Mr Haughey. Mr Ahern could not have reasonably been expected to know that Mr Haughey would divert funds from the account for personal use, he stated.