A former Fianna Fail minister, Mr Michael Smith TD, has expressed "anger and extreme annoyance" at being asked to explain and clarify a payment of £10,000 allegedly made to him by Mr Ben Dunne.
Judge Gerald Buchanan, who is investigating the payment of money by Mr Dunne to politicians and public servants on behalf of the Government, wrote to Mr Smith earlier this month asking him to explain a £10,000 cheque paid to a Mr M. Smith at the Bank of Ireland, Clonskeagh, Co Dublin, in July 1990.
The Fianna Fail TD for Tipperary North wrote back on January 10th saying he was "shocked and annoyed" by the letter. "For the record, I do not know, nor have I met Ben Dunne. Neither have I had any financial transaction with him. Nor have I ever done business in the Bank of Ireland, Clonskeagh, Dublin."