NO political favours were offered and none was sought when Mr Ben Dunne gave the Tanaiste £50,000 towards constructing a tourism project in Tralee, Mr Spring told the tribunal yesterday.
Counsel for the tribunal, Mr Denis McCullough, said: "It might be suggested that approaching Mr Dunne in this way was compromising you as a politican."
"I would not accept that at all," replied Mr Spring. "I am involved in raising money for various projects. There would be an expectation of a local politician that he be involved in such projects."
Asked if he was ever aware of a person giving a contribution and expecting a favour, he said he would not accept contributions if there was the slightest hint that some favour was expected down the road.
Earlier, Mr Spring had described how the donation came about. He was the TD for Kerry North, and Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, in April 1993. The Tralee Task Force was set up with a project to construct an aquadome for the town and the country.
A non profit making company was set up to further the project. He was asked to assist in raising funds, and he agreed because he thought it was a good project.
Asked if this was in any way unique, he said it would be quite normal for him to be involved in voluntary fundraising efforts.
He would be involved in quite a lot of projects, especially when people came together for the good of the town. He had been involved in other projects, he said.
Mr Spring said he had decided to try to get support from all the businesses in the town. He rang Mr Ben Dunne, who had just opened a new store there.
Asked if he would have approached him if he had not had a business in the town he said: "Very unlikely". He said he had also approached three or four other businessmen.
Mr Dunne had asked him, "How much are we talking about?" and Mr Spring had said "in the region of £50,000". This sum was agreed, and sent to him and he passed it on to the people running the project.
Asked if this was the sum proposed to others, Mr Spring said some made larger contributions. Asked where Mr Dunne ranked in terms of contributions to the project, he said: "His was one of the larger contributions. There were some larger." Asked if Mr Dunne asked for any political favours in return, he said: "There were none offered and none sought."
Mr Brian Durran, secretary of Tralee Waterworld plc, the company set up to seek share capital to set up the aquadome, gave evidence of the incorporation of the company. The money came through an enterprise trust. He knew of Mr Dunne's contribution within a week of it being made, he added.