Fine Gael wants the Minister for Foreign Affairs to make a "comprehensive statement" about reports that he received money from named building firms. The party said that, "in fairness to Mr Burke", the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, should give the Minister sufficient time to prepare a response, but the matter should not be delayed.
Fine Gael called on Mr Ahern to publish the relevant extracts from Fianna Fail party accounts to show exactly how much Mr Burke received during 1989. It added: "It is not in the interest of Ireland's international relations that questions of this nature should circulate around the country's foreign minister without a comprehensive and credible statement from him to allay concerns."
Mr Burke is on holiday and was unavailable for comment. However, a Government spokesman said that the Minister had already confirmed that he received £30,000 as an election subscription during the 1989 general election campaign. "He confirmed this in the light of all the allegations that had been made in the media over the last two years concerning this matter, including claims that have just been repeated in the Sunday Times."