The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is expected to appear later this week before the Moriarty tribunal.
Mr John Coughlan SC, for the tribunal, said additional information concerning payments by Mr Mark Kavanagh on behalf of the Customs House Docks Development Company (CHDDC) to Mr Charles Haughey had come to light. Solicitors for Fianna Fail had been asked to comment on media reports last week that a senior party figure (Mr Eoin Ryan) had informed the Taoiseach of inquiries raised by Mr Kavanagh in 1996 concerning his contribution to the party in 1989 and the fact that he had never been given a receipt.
Mr Ryan had promptly provided the tribunal with information concerning his dealings with Mr Kavanagh. He knew Mr Kavanagh and in 1996 was requested to approach him concerning a contribution to the party. "Mr Kavanagh indicated to Mr Ryan that he was somewhat annoyed that he had received no acknowledgement for an earlier contribution to the party," said Mr Coughlan. Mr Ryan brought the matter to the attention of the Taoiseach. He said Mr Ahern informed him he would look into the matter.
As a result of queries raised with Mr Kavanagh, the tribunal was informed that an approach was made to Mr Mark Kavanagh by Mr Paul Kavanagh, the Fianna Fail fund-raiser, in 1989.
Mr Paul Kavanagh was looking for "significant contributions" and indicated a figure in the order of £100,000. He also requested a contribution for Mr Brian Lenihan's liver transplant.
Mr Mark Kavanagh had discussed the matter with his partners in the CHDDC and they decided they would make a contribution of £100,000. They agreed to make the payments in the form of a cheque for £25,000 payable to Fianna Fail (for Mr Lenihan) and three drafts of £25,000 each, payable to cash.
Mr Kavanagh met Mr Haughey at his Kinsealy home on the morning of June 15th, the day of the general election, and handed him an envelope containing the three drafts and cheque.
Mr Coughlan said the tribunal had obtained the assistance of Mr Sean Fleming, then responsible for recording contributions to the party. He had previously helped with providing a "master list" to the tribunal of all contributions to Fianna Fail funds around the time of the 1989 election. An examination of Mr Fleming's list showed that no contribution from the CHDDC or from Mr Kavanagh was recorded.
After further inquiries, Mr Fleming had made available a second list "where receipts for the contribution made were not sent directly to the donors but were transmitted to Mr Haughey or to his office".
Some of the individuals listed had made contributions on what appeared to have been an anonymous basis - and Mr Kavanagh's name was among them for an amount of £25,000.
Further inquiries traced the three drafts made out to cash to Guinness & Mahon.
Two of the drafts were used to purchase from G&M a further draft for £50,000 made payable to cash. The third was lodged to an Amiens Securities account and withdrawn in two tranches of £5,000 and £20,000, respectively.
Among the anonymous contributions recorded was one for £50,000 which corresponded with a similar amount on Mr Fleming's master list, and referred to Mr Michael Smurfit as "Anon per An T. M. Smurfit". This referred to a draft issued by G & M for £50,000 dated June 19th, 1989, for cash.
The tribunal had raised the matter with Mr Smurfit who believed that in 1989 a donation for Fianna Fail had been solicited by Mr Haughey. The Smurfit donation was made by way of a transfer of the sterling equivalent of £60,000 on June 14th from the John Jefferson Smurfit Monegasque Foundation to an account at Henry Ansbacher & Company, 1 Mitre Square, London.