A new public inquiry into payments made to politicians has been demanded by the president of SIPTU, Mr Jimmy Somers. He described Mr Charles Haughey's evidence to the Dunnes Payments Tribunal as "grossly offensive to the intelligence of the Irish people."
"There cannot be a person in the country who has not been shocked to the core" by the evidence that emerged from the tribunal and in the Lowry affair leading up to it, he said
Mr Somers said that, irrespective of the difficulties involved, "it is our view that unless it is demonstrated quickly and credibly that nobody is above the law or can operate outside the tax system with impunity, the very fabric of our democracy will be undermined irreparably".
He said the display of unparalleled arrogance, and the revelations about the existence of at least one enormous political slush fund, required the urgent establishment of a further tribunal and the most vigorous effort by the Revenue Commissioners in bringing to account all those who would "forget" to pay their taxes.
Mr Somers said the national executive council of SIPTU demanded the fullest investigation and that the full rigours of the law be applied to all who had abused the political system or who had avoided paying their fair share of tax.
PAYE taxpayers had had enough of duplicity by elements of the so-called "golden circle" and their professional servants. "There cannot be one law and a special tax regime for a rich elite and another for the PAYE sector," he said.