THE MAN at the centre of the political donations controversy that derailed Independent Seán Gallagher’s presidential election bid benefited from payments during the campaign from Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness.
Morgan Fuels Ireland Ltd received three payments totalling close to €3,000 from Mr McGuinness, documents released by the Standards in Public Office Commission have revealed. The company is owned by the businessman Hugh Morgan, who alleged Mr Gallagher collected a cheque from him at Morgan Fuels headquarters in Co Armagh. Mr Morgan has a criminal conviction for fuel smuggling.
In a sensational development during the final live television debate before the presidential election vote last October, Mr McGuinness claimed Mr Gallagher had called to an unnamed businessman’s house to collect a €5,000 cheque for Fianna Fáil. Mr Gallagher immediately denied the claim.
As The Frontlinebroadcast continued on RTÉ One, presenter Pat Kenny read out what turned out to be a bogus tweet, which claimed that the man that Mr Gallagher took the cheque from would appear at a press conference the following morning.
Mr Gallagher then stumbled and controversially appeared to concede that he could have received an “envelope”. The development was widely seen as having derailed his campaign. He categorically denied the allegation subsequently.
In the summary of Mr McGuinness’s election expenses given to the commission, his agent detailed the candidate’s “transport and travel” expenses. These can include petrol and diesel. Morgan Fuels Ireland Ltd was paid a total of €2,871.46 in three separate payments of €948.88, €765.98 and €1,156.60.
A Sinn Féin spokeswoman said last night the payments related to fuel for the presidential campaign bus. She said the driver had a card from Morgan Fuels which he used for refilling the tank.
During the campaign, Mr Morgan issued a statement detailing his allegations against Mr Gallagher, and he later made available diary entries, indicating contact with Mr Gallagher over a Fianna Fáil fundraising event. He also made available a photograph of himself and then taoiseach Brian Cowen at the event, which was held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dundalk on July 1st 2008.
Mr McGuinness incurred a total of more than €302,500 in election expenses and secured enough votes to ensure that he was reimbursed for €200,000. He came third in the contest, with 13.7 per cent of first preference votes. Donations worth €4,348 were recorded by Mr McGuinness.
