The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, on RTE radio's This Week and speaking from Tralee, was asked when he first became aware of the Taoiseach's representations in the Sheedy affair.
"I became aware at the beginning of April of the fact that the Taoiseach's private secretary had contacted my own private secretary in relation to this matter. The inquiry related to the possibility of day release. My private secretary informed the private secretary to the Taoiseach that it was not possible for this to happen for the reason that Mr Sheedy was too early into his sentence and, secondly, it was not possible for that to happen because there was a review date."
He said he wanted to make one thing very, very clear at this point. "I totally and utterly reject Mr Bruton's comments for this reason; the fact that an inquiry was received from the Taoiseach's office to my private secretary was a matter of absolute irrelevance where this particular matter was concerned. Mr Sheedy was not released by me."
In fact, he said, Mr Sheedy was refused temporary release at Christmas 1997, in Easter of 1998, and he was again refused temporary release following a request in August 1998 to go to the wedding in September 1998.
"It is ludicrous to suggest that I did anything wrong."
He was asked would he not accept that it might be irrelevant in terms of previous instances but if he was aware at the beginning of April - it was now the beginning of May - why was that information not made available given that we had a series of reports from his Department and the Chief Justice; that that information was not made available until the newspapers this morning (Sunday).
"May I make it perfectly clear the reason why the information was not made available was because of the fact that it was not relevant to the case and I was acutely aware that what would happen was that it would be used by conspiracy theorists as fodder and in a most unjustified and unfair attack on the integrity of the Taoiseach and I felt that it would come out as appropriate.
"I know, for example, that the Taoiseach was saying this publicly at the IMI conference in Killarney, for example, on the fringes that he had made representation to this particular matter or that inquiries were made through his office.
"But I can tell you this as a fact, on no occasion, not one, did the Taoiseach ever mention this case to me until I brought it to his attention in February of this year in relation to what had happened in the courts."
The interviewer said that the Minister had spoken in the Dail on the Sheedy case over the last number of weeks. What exactly did the Taoiseach ask him to tell the Dail about his (Taoiseach's) involvement in the affair? "The Taoiseach quite rightly told me that if this matter was raised well, obviously, I should answer it and incidentally . . . "
The interviewer said so if the question was asked he would provide the information but if he was not asked he would leave it stay in the file.
The Minister said: "Let me make it quite clear that this information was going to come out anyway. I understand that there was a freedom of information request. The Taoiseach made it clear at all times that when the opportunity arose he himself in fact would clarify the matter. It is a known fact that he had mentioned it to people himself. It is completely ludicrous to suggest at this point in time that there was anything untoward or suspicious about this. There was not."
He wanted to also say to Mr Bruton that in his private and public dealings he dealt up front. He did not hide behind doors or "cast myself into corners to make shadowy whispers. I tell the truth."
The interviewer said that the Tanaiste was made aware of this over the last number of weeks. What did she ask the Minister to tell the Dail?
"My understanding of the position is that the Taoiseach told the Tanaiste of the fact that there were inquiries made by his private secretary to my private secretary. The Tanaiste as far as I am concerned had conversations with the Taoiseach about it. I am not aware that the Tanaiste advised me of what I should or should not say in the Dail. The Tanaiste knew very well that I would tell the truth to the Dail. The point here is that this matter was going to surface anyway and all that is happening at the moment is that it is being used in a way which is purely related to political opportunism and it is quite clear as well at this point in time that conspiracy theorists who indeed are in the political domain are trying to use this to attack the integrity of the Taoiseach and, indeed, my own and it is unacceptable behaviour."