Two of the largest charities in the State have made representations to the Minister for Finance seeking preferential treatment in the distribution of funds in dormant bank accounts.
Mr McCreevy is currently preparing proposals to seize money in accounts with financial institutions that have not been operated for five years.
The State could receive a multi-million pound windfall from the seizure. Documents released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act include a joint letter to Mr McCreevy from the overseas aid agencies, GOAL and Concern. The letter, dated December 22nd, 1999, asks the Minister to "broaden the beneficiary group to include assistance to operational agencies working in disaster relief overseas".
The letter, signed by the chief executive of Concern, Mr David Begg, and the director of GOAL, Mr John O'Shea, notes that "while community development is very laudable, it hardly compares with the needs of people affected by national disasters or wars . . . So if you do go ahead with the proposal to seize dormant bank deposits, please consider helping GOAL and Concern."
A second representation on the use of dormant account money was made by the president of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Dr Peadar Cremin.
He proposed putting the money into an educational endowment fund which would be used "to tackle educational disadvantage and to promote social inclusion through education".
The Minister for Finance circulated a draft memorandum to several cabinet members on December 23rd, 1999, seeking "formal views on the proposals".
The proposals in the memorandum would allow for the transfer of dormant accounts from the financial institutions to the State.
The financial institutions have estimated there is some £15 million in such deposit accounts.