Smurfit gave £60,000 to Haughey for Fianna Fail

The former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, asked Dr Michael Smurfit to consult his financial adviser about the method in which he should make a donation to Fianna Fail, Dr Smurfit told the Moriarty tribunal yesterday.

Mr Haughey asked Dr Smurfit to contact Mr Des Traynor about making a £60,000 donation, which he solicited from the businessman. Some £50,000 was designated for "Fianna Fail Central" while £10,000 was for "Fianna Fail East".

During a very brief appearance before the tribunal yesterday Dr Smurfit told counsel for the tribunal, Mr John Coughlan SC, that he was not sure whether it was Mr Haughey or Mr Traynor who instructed him to designate donations in those amounts to "Central" and "East".

The sterling equivalent of £60,000 was transferred from the John Jefferson Smurfit Monegasque Foundation on June 14th, 1989, to an account in Henry Ansbacher and Co Ltd in London on the instruction of Mr Traynor.

Because of the "passage of time" it was difficult for Dr Smurfit to recall what occurred in regard to the donation.

He said he had a "vague recollection that an acknowledgement or receipt may have been requested". However, he had not had an opportunity to have the files of the foundation researched to see if there was evidence of a receipt being requested or received.

Because of the 24-hour French air strike on Monday, he was not in a position to supply the records yesterday, Dr Smurfit said. "I had to come here on Sunday to make sure I was here", he told Mr Coughlan.

He said that when the records were available he would give them to the tribunal and would "if necessary" return to deal with the matter. Two other queries raised by the tribunal would also be dealt with, he said. He had instructed that all these inquiries be "carried out as a matter of urgency".