The Taoiseach does not seem to appreciate the gravity of the situation facing his Coalition Government and his Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Burke. Mr Ahern's efforts to close the door for a second time against a limited investigation into allegations involving the payment of large sums of money to Mr Burke in 1989 are both dangerous and misplaced. The Taoiseach promised the establishment of new standards of probity and transparency in public life. But the electorate has been dismayed by a recent Dail decision to effectively limit the work of the new tribunal to an investigation of the affairs of Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry. And the wilful determination of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats to exclude an examination of the legality of the Ansbacher accounts from those terms of reference was nothing short of scandalous.
The Taoiseach has attempted to buy time and to deflect attention from his embattled Minister by suggesting that a separate inquiry might be held into the actions of the two building companies concerned, as they affected councillors and the planning process in Dublin. That response displays nothing but contempt for the intelligence of the public. The Tanaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats was equally self-serving. Ms Harney recognised the fresh disclosures as being "extremely serious". But she indicated they might be handled within a county council context.
Two weeks ago, this Government damaged public confidence in our democratic system by refusing to allow the new tribunal of inquiry to carry out a cursory examination into the serious allegations made against Mr Burke, or to examine the Ansbacher accounts. Next week, it will have an opportunity to undo that harm and to display to the public a willingness to take political and economic risks so that justice can be seen to be done.
In all of this, Mr Burke claims to be the innocent victim of an ongoing smear campaign. That possibility cannot be discounted. For no evidence of wrongdoing or the use of improper political influence has been produced by his detractors. The Minister has, however, admitted to receiving £30,000 in cash from an unknown supporter in 1989, while he was a serving government Minister. That, in itself, is an extraordinary admission. It now transpires, according to a report in the recent issue of Magill magazine, that Mr Michael Bailey of Bovale Developments, who was quoted by Mr Burke in his Dail defence, had three days before the controversial payment, undertaken to procure planning permission for 685 acres of land in north Dublin for James Murphy Structural Engineers (JMSE) in return for a 50 per cent share in the properties. Mr Bailey then introduced the Minister to a representative of JMSE, who was bearing a gift of £30,000 in cash. It was a remarkable coincidence. In his defence, Mr Burke says he was not a member of Dublin county council at the time and was therefore not in a position to arrange for any land rezonings. The Minister has rejected suggestions by the opposition parties that his name could be cleared through a preliminary examination of his affairs by the newly established Dail tribunal. And he insists that he has answered all relevant questions. Would that it were so. The Minister's replies have failed to satisfy the public. And confidence by citizens in the democratic system has now become an issue. Publication of the controversial letter would help. No matter that the fortunes of this minority Coalition Government are delicately balanced in the Dail, the Taoiseach - and the Tanaiste - owe it to the country to amend the tribunal's terms of reference.