Ms Harney was asked by Mr Pat Hanratty SC, for the tribunal, if during the period after the last general election and immediately before the Government was formed, there was a particular matter of concern to her.
Ms Harney said that when she heard Mr Ray Burke was proposed for membership of the Government, she was concerned that he might have sought or received money in order to secure planning favours.
She discussed the matter with the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, and asked him to investigate it and to assure her that no wrongdoing had occurred.
Mr Hanratty asked if in June 1997 she received a communication from Mr Gabriel Grehan.
She replied that Mr Grehan had contacted her during that period. Mr Grehan was a director of JMSE. He was also the husband of Dr Mary Grehan, a Progressive Democrat candidate in the Louth constituency in the 1997 general election. Mr Grehan contacted her to discuss the allegations about Mr Burke.
In the first instance his wife communicated with the general secretary of the PDs, Mr Garvin McGinley, Ms Harney said. Dr Grehan said her husband had information she wanted to bring to her (Ms Harney's) attention in relation to Mr Ray Burke. Mr Grehan did not have her home telephone number. As she understood it, Mr McGinley contacted him and put him on to her on the telephone at her home. She spoke to Mr Grehan on a number of occasions during that period between June 11th and June 26th, when the Government was formed.
"He told me it was his understanding that JMSE had made a payment of £30,000 to Ray Burke, that this sum of money had also been matched by a sum from Bovale, Michael Bailey, that the money was paid in order to secure planning permission, or rezoning of the land," Ms Harney said.
Mr Hanratty asked if Mr Grehan told her it was his understanding that the total amount was £60,000. Ms Harney said he did. When she pressed him on this, because she had been told differently, he said he had no first-hand knowledge of this matter. He had not attended any meetings where it had been discussed or seen any documents in relation to it.
Mr Hanratty asked if she also learned around this time that Mr Dermot Ahern TD had gone to London.
"Yes, Mr Grehan informed me that Dermot Ahern TD was going to London to interview Joseph Murphy jnr," she said.
Mr Hanratty asked: "Before Mr Burke was appointed to the Government, did Mr Bertie Ahern give you certain information relating to Mr Burke and this alleged payment?" Ms Harney replied: "Yes, he told me he had fully investigated the matter, that Ray Burke had received £30,000 from Mr Gogarty, JMSE, that he had retained £20,000 for his own election campaign in the Dublin North constituency and that he had forwarded £10,000 to the Fianna Fail headquarters."
Mr Hanratty said it was suggested during Mr Dermot Ahern's evidence to the tribunal that she had sought the telephone number of Mr Joseph Murphy jnr.
Ms Harney said at no time did she do this. Mr Grehan had asked her if she would speak to Mr Murphy and had offered to give her the number. She refused.
"I did not carry out any investigation. It was not a matter for me. It was a matter for the leader of the Fianna Fail party.
"I sought assurances from him but I did not speak to anybody in relation to this matter except Mr Bertie Ahern and Mr Gabriel Grehan," Ms Harney said.