The Fianna Fail committee inquiring into payments to politicians may meet Mr Liam Lawlor TD again before it completes its report for the Taoiseach in about 10 days.
The five-person inquiry is currently working on its report which will be based on interviews it has had with its current and past members of Dublin County Council. Sources say that the prospect of its holding further interviews with Mr Lawlor or others has not been ruled out.
The Fianna Fail Standards in Public Life Committee held a two-hour meeting last week with Mr Lawlor, who is at the centre of several allegations of corruption which have emerged from the Flood tribunal.
Mr Lawlor gave a detailed account of the payments he says he received from political lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop at last week's meeting. It was Mr Dunlop's evidence to the Flood tribunal that he had paid councillors various sums in connection with their support for the controversial Quarryvale rezoning motion which prompted the inquiry.
Mr Lawlor may be asked by the committee for further elaboration of his account. This week it emerged that the Flood tribunal has documentary evidence which conflicts with Mr Lawlor's statement to the internal Fianna Fail inquiry into payments to politicians.
The tribunal possesses two letters from Mr Lawlor's constituency office in which the Dublin West TD acknowledges receiving two separate contributions totalling £8,500 from the former Government press secretary, Mr Dunlop, close to local elections in mid-1991.
Mr Dunlop told the tribunal he had paid this amount to Mr Lawlor. However, Mr Lawlor told the Fianna Fail inquiry last Wednesday that in the June 1991 local elections "my recollection of a contribution I received was £4,000".
However, he also entered a caveat, saying: "I would have issued a standard receipt and acknowledgment, and if those two cheques are available I can obviously address the matter." The emergence of these receipts from Mr Lawlor could, therefore, allow him address the matter again, although sources said yesterday that the desire to have the report prepared shortly could preclude further interviews.
When the report is completed it will be given to the Taoiseach, who will decide whether any disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the party, is warranted. If so, the parliamentary party would be asked to take action against any TD or senator, while the national executive would decide on any action against any other members.