Mr Michael Lowry could rejoin Fine Gael once he has sorted out his tax affairs and paid his debt to society for any wrongdoing, according to the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton.
In an interview in today's Irish Times, Mr Bruton says it would be "totally unchristian" to "stigmatise" people such as Mr Lowry for ever. He says Fine Gael's door would be open to Mr Lowry "once whatever process that is undertaken is over and completed and whatever debt is paid in whatever way it is to be paid".
Mr Bruton's conciliatory comments are in stark contrast to his past calls for the former Fine Gael minister to resign his Dail seat after it emerged he had not paid tax on substantial benefits he received from Dunnes Stores.
Mr Bruton also renews his criticism of the Taoiseach for his past support for Mr Charles Haughey. "Bertie Ahern was amongst the Fianna Fail TDs who in 1979 overthrew Jack Lynch, someone who had been elected by the people, and installed Charles Haughey as Taoiseach without an election," Mr Bruton says.
"I've no doubt that Bertie Ahern, whatever about the specifics of Mr Haughey's finances, did know quite a bit about Mr Haughey's political style, his political priorities and his political way of doing business."