THE Minister of State for Finance, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald, apologised for issuing invitations to a Labour Party £100 a head fund raising lunch on official notepaper.

The apology came in a personal statement to the House following strong opposition criticism and an earlier apology from the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn.

The notepaper on which the invitations were issued carried the official emblem of the Harp with Ms Fitzgerald's name, her title as Minister of State, Office of the Tanaiste, and the address, telephone and fax numbers of Government Buildings.

In her statement she said: "Reference was made in this House this morning to invitations I issued to a fund raising lunch to be held later on this month at which the Minister for Finance is to be guest speaker.

"These invitations were issued on the normal notepaper I use for constituency purposes which gives as its address my Dail office which is located in Government Buildings. They were not issued on official Office of the Tanaiste or other departmental notepaper.

"It was made clear in the letter that any proceeds would go to the Dublin South Labour Party. Replies were to be to my personal secretary, Deiric O Broin. I realise that invitations to this function should, in fact, have been sent out on Labour Party notepaper, and I have arranged to send the remaining invitations on such notepaper.

"I apologise to the House for any impression that may have been created that this was an official as against a Labour Party function."

Amid noisy exchanges, Mr Robert Molloy (PD, Galway West) said that Ms Fitzgerald, who had introduced the Ethics Bill, now looked like a complete hypocrite.

Mr Ger Connolly (FF, Laois Offaly) said he had warned the Government about some of the provisions in the Ethics Bill. Now it has come home to roost... The stone has landed at the door," he declared.

Earlier, Mr Quinn apologised to the House: "That letter should not have gone out on official Government notepaper, and I apologise to all parties in the House. It will not happen again. I accept responsibility for it. It should have gone out on Labour notepaper."

The letter invited people to a working lunch", hosted by Mr Quinn and herself on March 28th. Mr Quinn, Ms Fitzgerald noted, would be available to answer questions on the forthcoming Finance Bill, and the occasion would provide "a rare opportunity to gain access to the Minister in a semi formal environment."

The matter was raised by Mr Molloy, who asked if the Taoiseach was aware that the Tanaiste's office and the Minister for Finance had invited a select few, who on payment of £100 to the Labour Party could have a briefing from Mr Quinn and the "Minister for Ethics", Ms Fitzgerald.

"Does he consider this politically, morally and ethically acceptable?," Mr Molloy asked.

The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said that everybody in the House was aware that most parties were, from time to time, involved in briefing lunches which also had a fund raising element. "There is nothing new, or peculiar, or odd about this. And I want to assure the House that the approach the Minister for Finance is taking on these matters is one which involves a high level of integrity on his part."

The Fianna Fail spokesman on finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy, also asked if it was in order for the Minister of State to use Government headed notepaper - not Labour notepaper - to invite people to discuss the Finance Bill with the Minister for a fee of £100.

The Ceann Comhairle, Mr Sean Treacy, said that if charges were to be made the proper procedures should be followed.