The Progressive Democrats have rejected a Labour demand that they return £50,000 they received from Mr Denis O'Brien last year in the light of recent revelations.
Labour's environment spokesman, Mr Eamon Gilmore, said yesterday the money should be returned if the PDs were genuine in their concern about issues surrounding the granting of the second mobile phone licence to Mr Denis O'Brien's company, ESAT.
He said that on RTE television's The Week in Politics programme on Sunday night, Ms Harney had said she was genuinely concerned about these issues. Mr Gilmore said Ms Harney's concerns rang hollow, as "only last year her party received £50,000 from Mr O'Brien which it kept". "If Mary Harney's deeds are to match her words she should now return the donation received by her party", he said. However, the PD chairman and a spokesman for the Tanaiste last night rejected Mr Gilmore's call. Ms Harney's spokesman said she would not want "at this point to make a sudden rush to judgment on any of these issues before they have been fully aired at the tribunal." PD chairman Mr John Minihan said the £50,000 donations had been "given to all the main parties at the same time in a fully open and transparent fashion."