THE Taoiseach has belatedly joined other leaders in the Dail to appeal to Dunnes Stores to make the Price Waterhouse report publicly available.
Recognising "the pall of suspicion hanging over all parties", Mr Bruton hoped that any private company would heed that appeal.
The best way forward would be found by voluntary disclosure of the information, he said, even confidentially, rather than having recourse to legislation not designed for that purpose.
Dunnes Stores said last night it has responded to a request from the Revenue Commissioners "for sight of" the Price Waterhouse report. But it was not clear if the company was prepared to hand it over, as the statement added it "is a private company document prepared in a privileged context".
The report, which contains details of payments made by Dunnes Stores when Mr Ben Dunne was managing director, was drawn up in preparation for a court case, which may leave it open to Dunnes to argue that all or part of it not be handed over.
The Dunnes statement said the company "wishes to co-operate with the Revenue Commissioners [and is in ongoing discussions with them to see how it can best assist, subject to any legal constraint".
Mr Bruton's appeal came at the end of a low-key five-hour debate on the resignation of Mr Michael Lowry, and his replacement by Mr Alan Dukes as Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications. Mr Dukes received his seal of office late last night.
Politicians of all parties joined to preclude the name of the prominent Fianna Fail figure who received more than £1 million, from being put, under privilege, on the Dail record.
A Government meeting made no decision to attempt to procure the Price Waterhouse report. Sources indicated afterwards that the Government saw it solely as having tax implications.
But the thrust of the debate, with leaders of Democratic Left and opposition parties calling for the publication in the interests of all politicians, led the Taoiseach to change his tune in the winding up speech last night.
At the start of yesterday's debate, the Ceann Comhairle, Mrs Treacy, made a point of stating there was "a certain expectation that an unknown person or persons may be named inside this House". He warned there was an onus on members not to refer to persons outside the House in such a manner that could be prejudicial to any subsequent investigations.
The same theme was taken up by Mr Bruton in his opening statement.
He told the Dail that the Attorney General, Mr Gleeson, had informed him last Saturday he had, acted as counsel for Mr Ben Dunne in the litigation between Mr Dunne and other members of the Dunne family. No conflict had arisen in respect of any matter upon which Mr Gleeson had been asked to advise, he added.
Both the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, and the PD leader, Ms Mary Harney, raised serious questions about the Lowry affair. Mr Ahern had earlier stated he was "totally satisfied" that no member of his front bench "is involved in any way in the present controversy about payments from Dunnes Stores".
Laying down a new marker for Fianna Fail, Mr Ahern asserted the party and front bench were determined that financial scrupulousness would be strictly observed by elected members.
This drew the response from the Taoiseach. He gave an undertaking to see if there was any loop-hole in the ethics legislation. There was also need to reform the funding of political parties, he said.