FORMER MINISTER for finance Brian Lenihan was the source of just under 60 per cent of the political representations received by the office of the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners last year.
The names of politicians who made representations to the office of the chairman, Josephine Feehily, were listed in the Revenue’s annual report for 2010, published yesterday.
It is the first time the Revenue has done this and a spokeswoman said the move was a response to the volume of Freedom of Information requests it receives from the media on the issue.
Mr Lenihan, who was minister at the time, made 204 out of the 332 representations made on behalf of individuals during the year. He also made 19 of the 42 representations made on a general issue during 2010.
However, 165 of the 223 representations he made were referred on by him in circumstances where other politicians had made representations to him in the first place.
Even leaving aside this number, Mr Lenihan still tops the list in terms of representations made, at 58. The next busiest politician was the then taoiseach, Brian Cowen, who made 16 representations during the year, all on behalf of individuals.
The then minister for transport, Noel Dempsey, made 12 representations, nine of them for individuals.
Denis Naughten of Fine Gael made nine representations, the most for a then opposition TD, all but one on behalf of individuals.
Brian Lenihan’s brother, then minister of state Conor Lenihan, made eight representations, all but one on behalf of individuals.
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made five representations for individuals, one fewer than his brother Noel. Fifty TDs appear on the list.
Mr Lenihan said last night the high number of representations made from his office was a function of his being minister for finance. He said he would not necessarily see most of the representations that came from other TDs. Even those that did not come initially from other public representatives might not necessarily come from constituents. Many came into his office and were forwarded.
“It was never something I took a huge interest in. There was no question of being an undue influence on the Revenue Commissioners.”
Mr Lenihan said he agreed with the view that all such representations should be in writing.
In the second report from the Moriarty tribunal, published recently, Mr Justice Moriarty recommended a change to the law be made, by regulation, whereby all politicians would have to make their representations to the Revenue in writing, setting out the purpose of the communication and what it hoped to achieve. All responses should also be in writing, he recommended.