The failure of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to properly investigate the background to allegations that Mr Ray Burke received large sums of money from two building firms seeking the rezoning of 700 acres of land in North Dublin has come back to haunt him. It now transpires that the money sent to Fianna Fail headquarters by Mr Burke in 1989 came from Rennicks Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Fitzwilton, chaired by Dr A.J.F. O'Reilly, rather than from Bovale/JMSE, as claimed by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs. The disclosure raises questions about the entire version of events supplied by Mr Burke and by his Government colleagues to the Dail, last September, and makes the work of the Flood Tribunal all the more valuable. In spite of its terms of reference, which relate primarily to planning and rezoning matters, that tribunal will be able to check on details of all other financial payments made to the former Minister and report back to the Dail.
The inept handling of the affair by Mr Ahern and his initial lack of judgement in appointing Mr Burke as Minister for Foreign Affairs generated the first crisis within this Coalition Government. Those difficulties were only resolved through the reluctant establishment of the Flood Tribunal and the resignation of Mr Burke as Minister and from the Dail. It now transpires that in the course of those weeks, the Dail was misled about the size and the origin of the donations received by Mr Burke. A sum of at least £60,000, and possibly much more, changed hands in the run-up to the 1989 general election.
Details of an election cheque of £30,000 given to Mr Burke, and made out to "cash" by a subsidiary of Fitzwilton, only came to light when the Flood Tribunal asked Fianna Fail's head office to check on payments made to it by Mr Burke, last February. It was such a basic piece of investigation that the party's failure to discover the details earlier can only raise questions about the thoroughness of the Taoiseach's inquiry and his anxiety to discover unpalatable facts. The new donation of £30,000 has been linked by Mr John Bruton to the granting of MMDS television licences to Princes Holdings in 1989 and a subsequent `letter of comfort' sent by Mr Burke to the parent company, Independent Newspapers. No evidence has been produced to suggest any improper action by Mr Burke in the exercise of his Ministerial function in this matter. And Fitzwilton has insisted that its donation was consistent with its commitment to support the democratic process. Last night, the Tanaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Mary Harney, spoke of the need for a full investigation of these disclosures and said no option should be ruled out in establishing the facts. Following discussions between the Tanaiste and Mr Ahern, officials were ordered to check the MMDS files for any indication of irregularities. It is understood that any suspicious matter will be reported to the Attorney General, Mr David Byrne, who will then liaise with the chairmen of the two sitting tribunals with a view to having any such matters investigated. Fire brigade action of that nature would have been unnecessary if a rigorous investigation had been conducted in the first place.