Tribunal to ask secretary about meeting with Ahern

The Moriarty tribunal is to continue today to examine how the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, made a statement to the Dail concerning the Fianna Fail party leader's account which evidence given to the tribunal yesterday directly contradicts.

Ms Eileen Foy, a former private secretary to Mr Charles Haughey, is to be questioned in detail about a meeting she had with Mr Ahern before his statement to the Dail on September 17th, 1997.

In the statement Mr Ahern said that, having spoken with Ms Foy, he was satisfied cheques from the account were prepared by her and then countersigned by "another senior party member". Mr Ahern, it later emerged, was the counter-signatory, and Ms Foy has told the tribunal he regularly signed blank cheques which she would later fill in on Mr Haughey's instructions.

Mr Ahern also told the Dail: "The account as far as her excellent recollection goes was normally short, not the other way around." The tribunal has heard that the account had a very healthy balance during some periods and in 1989 was in credit in excess of £200,000.

Ms Foy told the tribunal she could not remember the detail of the conversation she had with Mr Ahern two years ago. She could not remember what had been said which led Mr Ahern to say she had an "excellent recollection" of matters concerning the account.

Last night a spokesman for the Taoiseach said Mr Ahern would not comment on matters raised before the tribunal. He pointed out that Mr Ahern's statement to the Dail referred to a period when Fianna Fail was in opposition, which came to an end in 1987.

Most cheques countersigned by Mr Ahern which are being examined by the tribunal are from the period 1989 to 1991. However, a number of payments totalling £100,000 were made from the party leader's account during 1986.

Sources said Mr Ahern in his comments to the Dail was referring to the allowance being short of the party's needs, as distinct from the balance in the account into which it was lodged being short.

A second former private secretary to Mr Charles Haughey is due to appear at the Moriarty tribunal today.