Opposition deputies have sharply criticised Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan in the aftermath of publication of the Moriarty Tribunal report.
Fianna Fáil has demanded that the report be sent immediately to the Director of Public Prosecutions for his consideration and Sinn Féin has called for an urgent Dáil debate on its contents.
Fianna Fáil said the report’s comments in relation to Fine Gael’s handling of the issue of a “clandestine” $50,000 donation it received were, “by far the most serious criticism of the direct actions of a political party made in any report of a Tribunal of Inquiry established by this House”.
“At the time that this donation was made, the Taoiseach was not only a Fine Gael member of cabinet, he and others who are once again holding senior offices were involved in parts of the fundraising practices covered in the report.”
The Fianna Fáil statement, issued in the name of frontbencher Billy Kelleher, observes in relation to a conflict of evidence between tribunal witness Mark FitzGerald and Environment Minister Phil Hogan that, “It is clear that the evidence of the Minister for the Environment was not accepted by the judge.”
Mr Kelleher added: “In light of that finding the question must be asked whether the Taoiseach has confidence in Minister Hogan given that the judge in his report has accepted the evidence of Mark FitzGerald over his Minister’s and given that the Minister involved is directly responsible for the tribunal?”
Noting that the report refers to the “conspicuous” financial support given to Fine Gael by Esat, Mr Kelleher comments: “The Taoiseach has significant personal knowledge of this because he was involved in participating in a number of the fundraising events so used by Esat.”
Welcoming the publication of the Moriarty report, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams called in a statement for an urgent Dáil debate on its contents.
He said the report was “a damning indictment of the behaviour of the former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry, as well as the lack of accountability and scrutiny of a Fine Gael government of which the Taoiseach was a member”.
Calling on the Taoiseach “to make a full and frank statement to the Dáil on the Moriarty report and to schedule a debate on this issue”, the Sinn Féin leader added:
“The report says that Fine Gael benefited to the tune of $50,000. Was this declared to the US Justice Department at that time?
“Apparently, Fine Gael eventually returned this money. Presumably because it knew that this transaction was inappropriate. But what did Fine Gael do about this?
“The report also states that Fine Gael received up to IR£22,000 in other donations from Denis O’Brien or his companies. What did the party do about these?
“There needs to be a full debate in the Dáil on this issue.
Mr Adams said the report highlighted the need for "fundamental political reform which includes holding Ministers and TDs to account for wrongdoing".
