FF and FG inquiries into political payments were thoroughly inadequate, evidence at the tribunal has shown, writes Paul Cullen.
When Frank Dunlop first made his astonishing allegations about corruption in planning over five years ago, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael rushed to set up internal party inquiries into the payments received by their representatives on Dublin County Council.
With the political system threatening to fall apart as a stream of allegations emerged, both inquiries worked fast to produce reports. Within weeks, their work was completed, leaving a few politicians feeling sore, but the majority seemingly in the clear.
Considered today, the rush shows. It is hard now, given what has since emerged at the planning tribunal, not to consider the inquiries as exercises in political face-saving rather than comprehensive attempts to get to the truth. Those who were called to give evidence before the inquiries were generally taken at their word, rather than having to produce financial records that might have told a different story.
In some cases, basic facts were not checked, while important areas of inquiry were not followed up.
This week, we learned that two sitting members of the Oireachtas, GV Wright TD and Senator Don Lydon, gave seriously inaccurate information to the Fianna Fáil inquiry.
Mr Lydon admitted to the tribunal that he forgot to tell his party inquiry about £7,000 in two payments he received from Dublin landowner Christopher Jones, even though one of these payments, for £5,000, was the largest single contribution he had received and, in his own words, "an awful lot of money".
Mr Wright did mention a payment from Mr Jones of £500, but managed not to say he also got a £5,000 political contribution from the same source. He also told the inquiry he had checked the amount with Mr Jones, when in fact he hadn't.
Both men supported the rezoning of Mr Jones's land in 1992, the same year they received the donations.
This isn't the first time that we have learned of omissions in the evidence Mr Wright and Mr Lydon gave to the inquiry. Mr Wright also forgot to mention a donation of £2,000 he got from Ballymore Homes and has previously admitted his evidence to the inquiry was "sloppy".
Mr Lydon, meanwhile, neglected to mention a £2,500 contribution from Monarch Properties. Donations landed in his lap like "like snuff at a wake" and yet he forgot about them, he has told the tribunal.
The current module has also heard that Mr Jones says he gave a donation of £2,500 to Tom Kitt, currently the Government chief whip.
Mr Kitt, who made no mention of the payment to the Fianna Fáil inquiry, is currently checking his bank records and will give evidence in the coming weeks.
Another Fianna Fáil councillor, Tony Fox, has admitted he underestimated how much he got from Monarch Properties; he mentioned a figure of £500 to the party inquiry, but it now seems he got payments of £600 and £1,000.
Meanwhile, northside Dublin councillor Liam Creaven neglected to mention a contribution of £1,000 from Ballymore Homes. The late Liam Lawlor TD also gave an incomplete picture of his finances, but at least this has been highlighted by the inquiry.
The errors and omissions aren't confined to Fianna Fáil.
Former Fine Gael TD Liam Cosgrave told his internal inquiry he got £3,500 from Mr Dunlop, whereas it now seems he got £7,000.
Party councillor Michael Joe Cosgrave failed to mention a £1,000 contribution from Ballymore Homes, while former minister Nora Owen did not tell the inquiry about £500 she got from car dealer Denis Mahony.
It is likely that the tribunal, as it delves further into other rezonings, will uncover more inconsistencies in the accounts given to the 2000 inquiries.