The former minister, Dr John O'Connell, played a pivotal role in securing an Irish passport for Mr Kamal Fustok, a close relative of the Saudi Arabian diplomat named recently at the Moriarty tribunal in connection with the payment of £50,000 through Dr O'Connell to Mr Charles Haughey for a horse.
The passport for Mr Fustok, believed to be a brother of Mr Mahmoud Fustok, was one of a number of Lebanese applications for certificates of naturalisation made by Dr O'Connell to the Department of Justice in the early 1980s. Mr Fustok's passport has since been renewed.
Dr O'Connell also sponsored a passport application for Mr Ibrahim Moubarak, and his associates acted as referees for a later passport for Mr Adnan Moubarak, both brothers of Mr Mahmoud Fustok's horse-trainer in the US.
Before and during his 18-month period as ceann comhairle from June 1981 to December 1982 The Irish Times has confirmed, Dr O'Connell and some of his political supporters sponsored Lebanese applicants, some of whom subsequently received passports without meeting the requirements of the naturalisation law. The applications were processed before the introduction of the controversial passports-for-sale scheme in 1987.
As a Labour TD in June 1980, Dr O'Connell acted as the chief sponsor for four applicants: Mr Ibrahim Moubarak, 20 Manor Villas, Dublin 6; Mr Razouk Daher, 62 Inchicore Road, two doors from Dr O'Connell's home at the time; Mr Philip Noujaim, same address; and Mr Kamal Fustok, 20 Manor Villas also. The other referees on the applications were Ms Andrea Fegan, company secretary of the Irish Medical Times, owned by Dr O'Connell, and Mr Harry Guerin. The statutory declarations were made before Mr Patrick McNamara PC.
Although the Department of Justice's records indicated that Mr Fustok did not comply with the residency requirement, he was granted the passport on June 3rd, 1981, just before the minority Fianna Fail government left office.
In November 1981, Dr O'Connell sponsored a further six applications which included Mr Slieman Youseff Moubarak and two Moubaraks who were minors. The applications were sent to the Department of Justice from the Ceann Comhairle's office.
Dr O'Connell wrote to the minister for justice, Mr Sean Doherty, in September 1982, expressing anxiety at the delay in processing the applications. Despite strong departmental objections, Mr Doherty granted all six applications.
Mr Doherty brought applications for a further four passports to his Department in November 1982. Mr Adnan Moubarak and Ms Leila Moubarak were two of the applicants. Mr Doherty directed that the four be granted citizenship again despite objections from officials.
The referees for these applicants were Mrs Andrea Letoha (nee Fegan); Ms Pam Flynn, wife of Mr Edna Flynn, 62 Inchicore Road, Mr Patrick McNamara, Mr Patrick Vickers and Mr Sean Kirwan. The statutory declarations were made before Mr Leo Martin PC.
In his autobiography, Doctor John, Crusading Doctor and Politician, published in 1989, Dr O'Connell expressed appreciation in the `'Acknowledgements" of "all those who helped me in my political career, including Patrick Vickers, Paddy McNamara, Leo Martin and Harry Guerin".
Dr O'Connell declined to take calls from The Irish Times yesterday. A staff member at the Florida address of Mr Mahmoud Fustok, a brother-in-law of the Saudi Crown Prince, said she understood Mr Kamal Fustok was a brother of Mr Mahmoud Fustok. Sources in the Irish bloodstock industry also believe they are brothers.
