FG within tribunal remit

The Moriarty Tribunal has indicated that it can investigate donations made to Fine Gael while Mr Michael Lowry was chairman of the party's trustees. He held the position during the period 1993 to 1996, when Fine Gael wiped out a substantial debt and raised significant sums for the 1997 general election.

In an unreported section of his opening statement on Tuesday, Mr John Coughlan SC, noted that at the time of a $50,000 donation from Telenor to Fine Gael, Mr Lowry was chairman of the trustees of the party.

"The trustees owned the assets of the party. The assets include all the funds in the party's account."

Mr Coughlan said that the Telenor payment would be investigated under two terms of reference, E and F, of the tribunal. Term of reference E covers payments to Mr Lowry which could "give rise to a reasonable inference that the motive for making the payment was connected with any public office held by him, or had the potential to influence the discharge of such office".

Term of reference F refers to accounts associated with Mr Lowry.