Garda inquiry as Fahey alleges smear campaign

Gardaí have begun an investigation into allegations by Minister of State Frank Fahey that individuals in his Galway constituency have embarked on a campaign aimed at damaging his reputation and political career.

Mr Fahey approached gardaí in Galway last month and made a number of allegations in a formal written statement. He told gardaí he believed he was the subject of a rumour campaign in Galway and suspected some of those behind that alleged campaign may have put him under surveillance.

Following a series of articles in The Irish Times in recent months on Mr Fahey's business and property interests, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice issued a statement saying there existed a "regional political campaign" to damage him.

For that reason, he said he had not wanted to comment on questions put to him earlier by this newspaper. The statement he has made to gardaí reiterates his belief that he is being subjected to a regional political campaign against him.

The investigation is being handled by gardaí in Galway. However, officers there have made senior officers in Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, aware of Mr Fahey's statement and the resulting investigation.

The Irish Times understands that the possibility of any criminal charges resulting from the investigation is remote. Even if gardaí were able to prove beyond doubt that there was a concerted campaign under way against Mr Fahey, which has not been established thus far, they would also need to prove there was criminal intent behind that campaign.

Senior sources last night said this was unlikely. They also said the force was not "acting on behalf of Frank Fahey". Mr Fahey had made a complaint and gardaí were acting on that complaint as they would in respect of any other complainant.

The investigation is well advanced and is expected to be completed in the near future. A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said Mr Fahey had no comment to make on the statement he had given to gardaí.

Less than two weeks ago, Mr Fahey defended his multi-million euro property portfolio, which includes houses and apartments in Ireland and the US. He said he had complied with all ethical rules.

The Minister has denied that he was a part-owner of a hairdressing salon company in Moscow.

Mr Fahey's declaration of interests for 2005 includes interests in 20 property projects in Ireland and seven more abroad. Many of the properties were purchased in the US, Europe and Ireland with his wife and a company called Sage Developments.

He was involved in a controversy over his property interests abroad in 2000 when it emerged that his name was on the title deeds of a property in Daytona Beach, Florida, that was not disclosed on the register of TDs' interests.

Mr Fahey said he had no beneficial interest in the property but had put his name on the title deeds when he went guarantor for a friend, John Cahill.