A sum of £35,000 was given in a donation to Mr Ray Burke on May 30th, 1989, prior to the general election and Mr James Gogarty's contribution was not the largest he received, as he had stated in the Dail, Mr Ray Burke told the tribunal yesterday.
Mr John Gallagher SC, for the tribunal, said that in the Dail statement Mr Burke referred to the contribution of £30,000 from Mr Gogarty.
The statement said: "As regards the contribution of £30,000, this is the largest contribution I have received during any election campaign, either before or since 1989."
Mr Burke said with the benefit of records and with the benefit of a conversation with a contributor, there was one contribution which was lodged on May 30th 1989, and that contribution was for £35,000 and not £30,000.
Mr Gallagher said: "So that statement was not an accurate statement at the time it was made, was that correct?"
Mr Burke said: "I just told you, with the benefit of the conversation with the donor, I was in a position to clarify that in relation to £35,000 and I have already told the tribunal's legal team this in discussion with them in private."
Mr Gallagher said Mr Burke had said he had spent substantial sums on the election campaign but asked if the only invoice or receipt was the invoice in respect of the Harp Lounge, something less than £1,100. Mr Burke said that was correct.
Mr Gallagher then asked if the position of his overdraft was effectively the same within £1,000 around the time the election was called.
Mr Burke said roughly about that.
Mr Gallagher said in his statement Mr Burke referred to his financial straits after the campaign and the fact that he had raised money from his bank about that time.
Mr Burke said he increased his overdraft to £35,000.
"I was cash strapped. I had funds on deposit in my name, political funds on deposit - funds which had come in and funds on deposit with six months and three months withdrawal times," Mr Burke said.
When Mr Gallagher asked approximately how much he had on deposit in total at that time, Mr Joseph Finnegan SC, for Mr Burke, objected.