MR BEN DUNNE personally handed a cheque for £50,000 to the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, when he was leader of the Opposition in 1991, the tribunal was told.
The money was the second instalment of a contribution to Fine Gael party funds, initially set at £30,000 for three years, which Mr Dunne had agreed with Mr Bruton's predecessor as party leader, Mr Alan Dukes.
Cross examined by counsel for Fine Gael, Mr Kevin Feeney SC, Mr Dunne said he remembered meeting Mr Dukes in October 1989. The result of that meeting was an immediate payment to Fine Gael party funds of £30,000, with two similar payments to follow. Mr Dunne agreed that the flext payment made was in April 1991, and was actually for £50,000.
Mr Feeney said Mr Dunne already had given evidence that he had met Mr Bruton in his (Mr Dunne's) home to discuss making contribution to Fine Gael. "In fact the cheque for £50,000 was actually handed over to Mr Bruton before he left that meeting," counsel suggested. Mr Dunne said he could not actually recall, but if Mr Bruton said it he not disagree with it.
He also agreed with Mr Feeney chat it was a relatively short meeting in which he was told that Fine Gael was in significant financial overdraft with its banks, and Mr Dunne had agreed to contribute the £50,000 there and then.
He also agreed that the only other contribution he made to the party, this time a payment of £100,000, was in May 1993.
Counsel added that Mr Bruton would say he met Mr Dunne when he was Minister for Industry and Commerce in the 1980s and wanted to discuss getting more Irish produce into supermarkets. Mr Dunne said he remembered she meeting because it was the first time a Government Minister bad come into Dunnes Stores' headquarters in his time with the company. Mr Bruton had brought a group of businessmen with him.
Mr Feeney said the Taoiseach also recalled meeting Mr Dunne at an international rugby match in the 1980s.
Since 1991, Mr Feeney said, the only time the two had spoken was in the recent past when Mr Bruton was about to make public Dunnes Stores' contributions to the party.
Mr Dunne, "Yes, he rang me one evening.
Mr Feeney "And advised of the matters being publicised?"
Mr Dunne "That's correct, yes."
Counsel put it to Mr Dunne that on the three occasions he had given money to the party 1989, 1991 and 1993 Fine Gael was in opposition. Mr Dunne said he did not know, but he would accept that.
Mr Feeney said he could assure Mr Dunne it was in opposition at those times. Had that influenced him in any way?
Mr Dunne. "When I didn't know whether they were in Government or opposition, it had no bearing whatsoever."