The consultant urologist who treats Mr Charles Haughey has said he should not be recalled to give more evidence to the Moriarty tribunal.
Mr Peter McLean, speaking publicly for the first time, also said he was right when he objected to the Moriarty tribunal questioning the former Taoiseach.
"I didn't approve and I was right. He very nearly didn't make it to the end of the questioning," Mr McLean told The Irish Times, referring to his objection to Mr Haughey being called to give evidence.
He said he wouldn't approve of Mr Haughey being recalled. The tribunal has indicated it may try to recall the former Taoiseach, but Mr Haughey has told friends he is determined never to go back to the tribunal.
Mr McLean wrote to the tribunal on the day Mr Haughey finished giving evidence in March and just three days before Mr Haughey suffered a near fatal heart attack.
"What I said was pretty simple. I said he wasn't able for what they were doing to him. I knew something dreadful was going to happen."
Mr McLean visited Mr Haughey in Kinsealy on the afternoon of Thursday, March 15th, and felt his condition was deteriorating. Mr Haughey had given evidence for an hour that morning in private in Dublin Castle.
His appearance was his final scheduled appearance, at least for that phase of the tribunal's inquiries. Early Monday morning he suffered a near fatal crisis during which his heart stopped twice.
Mr McLean said the process of being questioned by the tribunal put Mr Haughey under great stress. He questioned the value of questioning someone who was suffering from prostate cancer, heart disease and loss of memory, especially about matters which occurred years ago.
Mr Haughey was called to give evidence, in private, after Mr Justice Moriarty engaged two London consultants to examine the former Taoiseach and report to the tribunal. The consultants were engaged after Mr McLean had objected to Mr Haughey being questioned. Following receipt of their reports Mr Justice Moriarty decided Mr Haughey should continue to give evidence, but in private and for only one hour a day, four days a week.
"I held a strong view that a man in that condition, 75 years of age, was not able for such questioning. I was right at the end of the day."
Referring to Mr Haughey's heart attack, Mr McLean said he knew it was going to happen. "I could see it coming down the road. I used to visit him in the afternoons after he appeared to give evidence, and I can tell you he was absolutely devastated. You could see the deterioration on a week-to-week basis."
The tribunal has yet to deal with acts or decisions which were made by Mr Haughey while in office and which it might want to investigate. It is not known if it intends to question him further on such matters.
