The following statement on the Magill article was issued last night on behalf of the Fine Gael leader, Mr Bruton. The current Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, investigated Mr Burke last year prior to appointing him Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Taoiseach should make a comprehensive statement to the Dail tomorrow on his knowledge of this Fitzwilton donation to Mr Burke, and on the dealings of Mr Burke's departments with Fitzwilton-associated companies before and after the donation.
Furthermore, in such as statement, the Taoiseach must explain why, on 5th September, 1997, he confirmed Mr Burke's assertion that the £10,000 he made to Fianna Fail head office in 1989 related to the Gogarty donation to Mr Burke, even though Fianna Fail now acknowledge having receipted Fitzwilton for the same payment at the time.
Was the Taoiseach being fully frank in his statement to political correspondents on this matter on 5th September last?
It is hard to believe that, in confirming with his party officials that a £10,000 payment had been made by Mr Burke to headquarters, the Taoiseach would not have found out that this payment related to Fitzwilton, and not to Gogarty.
At the time of Mr Burke's Dail statement on 10th September, 1997, the Taoiseach and Fianna Fail should have clarified the true origin of this payment. They did not do so. Why did they leave the Dail under a misleading impression on this matter? It is important that all dealings by Mr Burke, as a Fianna Fail minister, with companies associated with Fitzwilton now be fully investigated.
Discussions between Mr Burke and all other ministers on any such dealings with companies associated with Fitzwilton, are also a matter of valid public concern in these circumstances.
Mr Burke may have good and valid explanations. So also may Fitzwilton. But the matter must be publicly explained.
Princes Holdings were issued with an exclusive MMDS licence by Mr Burke, as minister for industry and communications in 1988. Was this decision at Cabinet at the time, and did the then and present Fianna Fail ministers approve of this decision? The connection, if any, between Fitzwilton and Princes Holdings should now be set out publicly.
In the change of portfolios after the 1989 election, Mr Burke, although changing departments, still retained the portfolio of Communications, which was transferred from his old Department of Industry to his new Department of Justice.
This was considered a most unusual combination at the time. Indeed, I recall then describing the Communications portfolio as Mr Burke's "personal baggage".
This matter must have been the subject of discussion between the then Taoiseach and his ministers, some of whom (both Fianna Fail and Progressive Democrats) are still in office as ministers.
Was any explanation sought by these ministers as to why Mr Burke was so uniquely qualified for the Communications brief?
It is strange that a donation, that was supposed to be for the national party headquarters, would be handed to a particular minister in his home.
Did Fitzwilton not know the address of the Fianna Fail party headquarters? This method of payment would be all the more difficult to explain if the Minister had had dealings in a ministerial capacity with Fitzwilton or associated companies.
Did any present Fianna Fail ministers know of the donation at the time, or afterwards? Did the party treasurers investigate the matter then, or since?
Did they take any action and if not, why not?
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