Haughey acted in `completely proper manner' gallery board

Mr Charles Haughey acted at all times "in a completely proper manner" as chairman of its fund-raising foundation, the board of governors of the National Gallery said last night.

The board also expressed its satisfaction with "the accuracy and completeness" of information given to it at all times by its chairman, Mrs Carmel Naughton.

After a 5 1/2-hour meeting yesterday, the board reaffirmed its decision that the identities of private donors to the gallery's £15.5 million extension at Clare Street "would be released at a time to be decided between the board and the donors".

Full disclosure of all information surrounding the activities of the National Gallery Foundation, the gallery's fund-raising arm, had been placed on the agenda of yesterday's meeting by one board member.

Mr Barry Murphy, chairman of the Commissioners of Public Works, supported by another member, Mr Ciaran MacGonigal, the director of the Hunt Museum in Limerick, wanted donors' names and the conditions attached to their donations to be formally disclosed to the board.

After what was described as a "difficult" meeting, a spokesman for the gallery said no resignations were sought or offered.

In a five-paragraph statement, the board "confirmed" its satisfaction with the accuracy and completeness of the information given to it by the chairman.

Mrs Naughton is the wife of Mr Martin Naughton, head of Glen Dimplex, and a member of the gallery's fund-raising foundation.

It also "confirmed" it was satisfied with the correctness of its previous decision relating to identifying the donors.

"The board confirmed its view that Mr Charles Haughey, as chairman of the fund-raising foundation, acted at all times in a completely proper manner," the statement continued.

It expressed its appreciation of the contribution of the director and staff, and the fund-raising foundation, to the gallery's extension project "and now looks forward with confidence to the successful completion of the project, scheduled for the end of the year 2000".

Finally, the board expressed its "full support for the chairman and its appreciation of her contribution to the gallery's welfare".