The Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy says that he had a close shave in not having to appear before the Dunnes Stores tribunal. In 1992, sitting in a pub on Dublin George's Street with Ben Dunne, he was offered a hand towards his election expenses. But it was shortly before Ben's "incident" in Florida, so the matter was forgotten about.

"If I had rung him up, he would have sent the money the next day," Mr McCreevy admits. And echoing many another politico, he adds: "He's just that kind of guy."