Scope of Ansbacher inquiry widens

The scope of the inquiry being conducted by an authorised officer appointed by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, into the Ansbacher deposits is believed to have been widened to include a range of financial transactions associated with the accounts.

Ms Harney said in the Dail this week that one of the inquiries she had instigated had come up with "new and disturbing" information and it appears that this was a reference to the investigation by authorised officer Mr Gerard Ryan into the Ansbacher deposits.

The officer is believed to be undertaking an intense investigation into a range of financial records relating to the Ansbacher deposits. The deposits were money held in two Irish banks by Ansbacher (Cayman), a Cayman Islands bank and a number of Irish residents were believed to be among the beneficiaries. Part of the living expenses of the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, were paid from the deposits.

The officer was initially appointed to look at transactions related to Celtic Helicopters, of which the former Taoiseach's son, Mr Ciaran Haughey is a major shareholder.

However it quickly became clear that Mr Ryan was to investigate all aspects of the accounts, as he was appointed as an authorised officer to the two Irish banks where the accounts were held - Guinness & Mahon and Irish Intercontinental Bank - as well as to the two Cayman institutions which held the money, Ansbacher (Cayman) and Hamilton Ross.

The officer is still seeking information from Ansbacher (Cayman), but the bank is not yet co-operating. However it is understood that the officer is following the money trail from the Ansbacher deposits, looking at monies paid into and taken out of the accounts and also at a other transactions where money in the Ansbacher deposits was used as backing or guarantee for loans. It is this level of investigation which appears to be behind Ms Harney's comment.

A number of prominent property developers are understood to have benefited from loans backed by Ansbacher funds, while some well-known professional figures are understood to be among the depositors in the accounts.

The McCracken Tribunal reported that some £30 million was held in the accounts at one stage, though there has been speculation that the amount may be somewhat higher.

Aspects of the deposits are also being investigated by the Moriarty Tribunal.