Rennicks family denies personal responsibility for Burke donation

In a statement yesterday, Mr and Mrs Robin Rennicks said they had "no personal responsibility" for the decision to give a £30,000 donation to Mr Ray Burke in 1989.

Mr and Mrs Rennicks, directors of Rennicks Manufacturing Ltd, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fitzwilton Plc, issued the statement "in order to protect their good name and to prevent further hurt to their feelings and those of their family".

They point out that in 1976 they started a sign manufacturing business at Kilbride, Mulhuddart, employing one person. By 1988 the business was employing 120 people. In October 1988 Fitzwilton Plc purchased a 51 per cent share of the company.

"From the time Rennicks Manufacturing Ltd was established until Fitzwilton Plc purchased the majority shareholding, neither Mr or Mrs Rennicks nor Rennicks Manufacturing Ltd made any contribution to any political party," their statement said.

"On June 5th, 1989, Mr Robin Rennicks was informed by a director of Fitzwilton Plc that the group wished to make a contribution of £30,000 to the Fianna Fail party and that this was to be done through Rennicks Manufacturing Ltd." Mr Rennicks made the payment as requested by Fitzwilton Plc.

The statement said that since the public controversy, Mr and Mrs Rennicks had co-operated fully with the tribunal of inquiry and with Fitzwilton so that the full facts surrounding the payment were ascertained. "Notwithstanding this, repeated media coverage may have implied that the payment made was made at the instigation of Mr or Mrs Rennicks. "In order to protect their good name and to prevent further hurt to their feelings and those of their family, Mr and Mrs Rennicks have sought confirmation from Fitzwilton Plc that they had no personal responsibility for the decision to make this payment, and Fitzwilton Plc have been glad to give this confirmation," their statement concluded.

A spokeswoman for Fitzwilton Plc confirmed this.