A figure of £8.6 million which was stated at the tribunal to have been spent by Mr Charles Haughey over a number of years was yesterday disputed by the former Taoiseach, who said it was very unfair to him.
Mr John Coughlan SC, for the tribunal, had been taking Mr Haughey through details of a number of loans and said they were insignificant in the overall picture of the amount of money expended from 1979 to 1996.
Mr Haughey said he would be disputing the figure, which to him was just not credible. When asked what figure, he replied the £8.6 million which had been mentioned.
Mr Coughlan said the tribunal was trying to get to the true picture. "Yes, but Mr Coughlan, that figure was put out by the tribunal and has entered into the public arena and is in fact now regarded in the public opinion, and is constantly referred to as a fact figure, which I feel, if I may say so, was very unfair to me," said Mr Haughey.
Mr Coughlan asked in what way it was unfair and what he said was the true figure.
"I'd say it was considerably less," Mr Haughey said.
"By how much?" asked Mr Coughlan.
Mr Haughey replied: "I cannot say that because, as I say, these figures are so complex and extend over such a long period of time that in pursuance of my duty to the tribunal, I engaged the services of a very expert, forensic accountant to help the tribunal in unravelling these figures and he, too, is of the opinion that the figure was exaggerated."
The accountant had offered to attend the tribunal and in the recent past had attended to assist in deciphering these complex figures, he added.
Mr Coughlan said the tribunal carried out a calculation on the figures involved, and now Mr Haughey, was saying that figure was inaccurate.
Mr Coughlan said: "The tribunal approached it as conservatively as it could in relation to matters, so what I'm asking you now, Mr Haughey, is - or perhaps it's something we could come back to at a later stage. I don't want to push you or to get involved in any controversy with you about it today because that is not my job.
"Perhaps you'd prefer to come back to it at a later stage for what you believe to be a more accurate picture of the amount of money that was expended over the years."
"Thank you," said Mr Haughey.