Extensive new Esat documents for tribunal

Lawyers for the Moriarty tribunal will today read a statement into the record on extensive Esat documentation it has recently received.

It is understood all former Esat directors have been contacted by the tribunal.

Mr Frank Conroy, the Fine Gael supporter who passed a cheque for £33,000 ($50,000) to the party from the late David Austin, appeared before the Moriarty tribunal this afternoon.

He told the tribunal that before the 1997 general election he was telephoned by Mr Austin who wanted to pass on monies to Fine Gael.

Mr Conroy (73) was amazed when he saw the cheque made payable to him from Mr Austin's Bank of Ireland account in Baggot Street. This had never happened before or since, he said.

The only reason he could think of for handing over the money this way was rivalry among fundraisers at the party's capital (Dublin) branch.

Mr Conroy added the then party general secretary Mr Jim Miley said he had three phone calls with Mr Austin before the cheque came in. Mr Miley was aware of and expecting this money.

Mr Conroy added categorically no mention was made of Telenor, Esat or any other body in his conversations with Mr Austin.

The first Mr Conroy heard of the controversy surrounding the donation came when Mr Denis O'Brien phoned him at home the weekend before the media broke the story to express regret Mr Conroy had become involved "in this mess about the cheque".

Yesterday Mr John Fortune, a Telenor representative on the Board of Esat Digifone, told the tribunal he had argued with Mr Denis O'Brien about seeking confirmation from Fine Gael that it had received a donation from Telenor.

Mr Fortune said his evidence was based on contemporaneous solicitors' notes taken by Telenor's legal representatives in 1998.

Mr O'Brien on Tuesday said he remembered no such meeting and added Mr Fortune's statement of intended evidence contained an extraordinary level of purported recall.

The tribunal resumes at midday.