After a thorough inquiry into the allegations about the Minister there is no smoking cigar, reports Mark Brennock, Political Correspondent
The original allegation provoked speculation that there would be a new minister for transport by the end of the week. A Minister - quickly identified as Mr Seamus Brennan - had ordered a vanload of brandy and cigars to distribute as Christmas presents over a decade ago, and then refused to pay the €5,000 bill.
Mr Brennan's response was initially cautious and vague, and the fact that it was 48 hours before a strong denial was issued aroused suspicion that if this hadn't happened, well, something like it had happened.
However, since Monday the Department of Transport has trawled paper and electronic records and interviewed staff and former staff before finally coming up with nothing.
Aer Rianta, too, has come up with nothing. Relations between the Minister and Aer Rianta were poor at the start of the week. They are poorer now.
It appears extraordinary that the company was able to exonerate a Minister fighting for his political life yesterday, but until then appeared to think it would be acceptable to wait until next week to do so.
The Department of Transport last night gave details of its inquiry to show how methodical it had been. The Secretary-General, Ms Julie O'Neill, looked for records of goods ordered from Aer Rianta, but not paid for; any such goods delivered to the Department, the Minister or any other person on his behalf; any invoices sent; any correspondence concerning such invoices or any debt arising.
They looked at any outstanding invoices from any company within the price range suggested in the Sunday Independent article; they examined payments to Aer Rianta in the price range; any invoices and payments in relation to whiskey, brandy, cigars or similar were also checked. They found nothing.
"None of the persons interviewed had any awareness or recollection of documents or incidents of the nature referred to in the Sunday Independent article," says the report.
Finally all other current staff of the Department of Transport were contacted by e-mail to ask if they had any information in relation to the delivery of such goods or were aware of any document which might be relevant. After the most thorough investigation, according to the Department, there is no smoking gun - or in this case no smoking cigar.
The interim report from Aer Rianta said the same thing: "The inquiry team has not seen any evidence which would substantiate the allegations contained in the Sunday Independent of November 24th, 2002."
Mr Brennan will be gratified by the outcome, if not by the Aer Rianta attitude to the affair. The statement from the Aer Rianta chairman, Mr Noel Hanlon, last night came only after intense Government pressure and anger at the slowness of the company's inquiry.
As the Minister continues to consider a range of measures that could spell the end of Aer Rianta as currently constituted, it has been a very poor week for the relationship between the company and its shareholder.