The Government is optimistic that a report from Aer Rianta within the next two days will fail to substantiate claims that the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, received and refused to pay for €5,000 worth of drink and cigars from the company over a decade ago, writes Mark Brennock, Political Correspondent
Trawls of files in the Department of Transport and Aer Rianta over the past 48 hours are understood to have found no documentation to back up the claims, Government sources maintained last night.
The recollection of a senior Aer Rianta official, due to arrive in Dublin today from his post in Russia, will now be crucial to Mr Brennan's future.
Mr Brennan yesterday issued a clear denial of the story, saying that, to the best of his recollection, "I never personally received, authorised or had knowledge of the ordering, purchase or delivery of the alleged goods referred to in the Sunday Independent article of Sunday last." Mr Brennan was the minister for transport, responsible for Aer Rianta, from 1989 to 1993.
A spokesman for the Minister said he had taken two days to issue the statement as he had wanted to talk to everyone he had worked with at the time to reassure himself that his own recollection was accurate.
The Taoiseach told the Dáil that details of the inquiries would be published as soon as they were completed. With Mr Brennan sitting beside him in the Dáil chamber, Mr Ahern said: "Naturally what he says I believe, but we have to go through the examination and when the examination is complete I will report it."
Aer Rianta, meanwhile, rejected in a statement allegations that the story concerning Mr Brennan had emanated from the company itself. There are major tensions between the company and the Minister over plans being considered by Mr Brennan that would effectively break up the company.
The Aer Rianta investigation is expected to be completed by this evening or tomorrow after the company talks to Mr Liam Flood, a senior executive who is returning from his Aer Rianta post in Russia to assist. Mr Flood was deputy company secretary of Aer Rianta at the time of the alleged incident. The company's auditor will complete an examination of files today before a report is sent to the Department of Transport.
Meanwhile, the secretary-general of the Department will continue an examination of records in his offices today. His report is now expected to be completed before the end of this week rather than taking the 14 days initially suggested by Mr Brennan.
Mr Ahern said yesterday he had already spoken to the outgoing Aer Rianta director, Mr Dermot O'Leary, "but he could only give me facts that were already in the public domain". Mr O'Leary has denied speculation he was the source of the story about Mr Brennan, but has backed up some of its details.
Mr O'Leary told The Irish Times yesterday that when he was informed of the matter in 1993 by the Aer Rianta chief executive, Mr Derek Keogh, he was told the goods were "drinks for constituents" of the minister involved. He did not know in which year the goods had allegedly been delivered to the minister, but was told the "substantial" bill had been outstanding "for some time".
The controversy comes as Mr Brennan and Cabinet colleagues consider a range of proposals that could effectively end Aer Rianta's existence as currently structured. The Government recently received "expressions of interest" in a proposal to build a terminal at Dublin Airport to operate independently of Aer Rianta, and will shortly decide whether to proceed to tender.