The Labour leader said that decisions made by Mr Ray Burke as a minister should be the subject of examination by an independent tribunal. Mr Ruairi Quinn added: "There is now a cloud over the decisions taken by a government which included Mary O'Rourke, Seamus Brennan, Michael Woods, Dessie O'Malley, Bobby Molloy and the Taoiseach himself. The government for whom only Ray Burke was deemed capable of handling the Communications portfolio."
In particular, said Mr Quinn, the issuing of MMDS licences by Mr Burke must be subject to scrutiny, adding that a few facts needed repeating.
"Firstly, it was clearly improper for Mr Burke to receive money from any company with a connection to another he was then dealing with in relation to the issuing of State-backed licences. Secondly, what we already know about Mr Burke's modus operandi, and reports in the weekend's papers as to the amount of money in his `political account,' indicate that any decision taken by him in government is now open to question.
"The Taoiseach and the Tanaiste are now on record that such an examination should take place, a fact seemingly overlooked by Independent Group Newspapers who have concentrated their considerable firepower elsewhere."
Mr Quinn said that the Government's motion fundamentally failed to outline a proper inquiry into the matter. While the Opposition motion provided for any inquiry into Mr Burke's decisions as minister, the Government's amendment envisaged an investigation only into the motives of the people who made the payments. He added: "More protection for Mr Burke?"
He said that the Taoiseach's disregard for the House and the tribunal also extended to his Government's partners. "The Taoiseach revealed last week that he concealed the information from the Tanaiste, his so-called Government partner." Mr Quinn said that the Taoiseach had not been content to abuse the trust of the House and his government partners and the tribunals of inquiry. "In defending himself in the Dail last week, he maligned a private citizen simply because it was he who confirmed to Fianna Fail that Rennicks had given Mr Burke a cheque for £30,000, not £10,000. Yesterday, Mr David Byrne wrote to the Taoiseach requesting a correction of the record. Why has it not been forthcoming?"
Mr Quinn then read the following part of Mr Byrne's letter into the record of the House: "I met with Mr Richardson and at all times I told him that the figure was £30,000 and I never ever denied the fact. Indeed, I gave him a copy of the anonymous letter for his files. If one were to assume that Fianna Fail and Mr Richardson were not aware of the £30,000 when Mr Richardson made contact with me, I consider that I was the person to alert Fianna Fail to this payment of £30,000."