When a donation is not really a donation

The last of the main party leaders to end up at the planning tribunal rolled into Dublin Castle yesterday with a unique story to tell. While some politicians get donations and others get nothing, Pat Rabbitte got a "non-donation".

Whether it was a £2,000 "non-donation" - as Pat says - or a £3,000 "non-donation" - as Frank Dunlop would have it - we were little the wiser by the end of an absorbing three-hour cross-examination.

Frank says he put the stack of cash down on a table in front of Pat's low-backed armchair. Pat says it was in an envelope and placed on a desk by his hard-backed chair. Frank says the wallpaper was peeling, while Pat says the walls were painted. Pat places the date of the meeting almost a week later than Frank, and can't recollect Frank ringing to arrange the meeting.

Because it was a non-donation, Pat didn't see the need to tell the tribunal about it in 1999. Or the Garda, on whose behalf he, as chairman of Dublin County Council in 1993, wrote to every member asking for co-operation in their investigations into payments to politicians.

The Labour leader came without a lawyer and says he is paying his own legal fees. He should certainly reward himself handsomely for yesterday's prickly performance, which would have done the most nit-picking senior counsel proud.

Non-donation it might have been but the cash was freely spent on posters, cars and other electioneering essentials. It was only three weeks after the election that Frank got a cheque back - interest not included.