Brennan confident reports will clear his name
Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has said he is confident that two reports into allegations that he has failed to pay back £5,000 owed to Aer Rianta for more than a decade will exonerate him of any wrongdoing.
Mr Brennan has already said that, to the best of his recollection, he did not ask Aer Rianta to buy him £5,000 worth of alcohol and cigars in the early 1990s.
Weekend reports said Mr Brennan had ordered the goods as Christmas presents for other people and failed to pay for them despite receiving three invoices from Aer Rianta.
He said he hoped the results of the inquiry into the alleged matter would be available later today or by tomorrow.
In response to suggestions the Government had applied pressure for the report Mr Brennan said he was anxious for a fast completion of inquiries.
“I think pressure is the wrong word, but I did make it clear in my statement that I would wish that the report would be finished as quickly as possible, and I did say in my statement on Tuesday that I would like to see it done in a few days,” he said.
“So I’m hopeful that either later today or maybe tomorrow that they will be finished with it.”
However, a spokeswoman for Aer Rianta, where scores of papers are being examined and interviews undertaken, said it was unlikely the report would be finished today, adding that the matter was still under investigation and that results may be available tomorrow.
The alleged unpaid bill dates back more than a decade.
Mr Brennan has denied both receiving and failing to pay for the account, relating to cigars, whiskey and brandy during the 1990s.
He issued a statement to the Dáil earlier this week after allegations in a newspaper that a government minister received the luxury goods from Aer Rianta.
It was alleged that the gifts, said to be Christmas presents for friends and constituents, were wrapped and delivered to a then unnamed minister and that the bill was left unpaid.
Bertie Ahern later confirmed that Mr Brennan had contacted him to say he was the figure at the centre of the claims.
In a statement, Mr Brennan said: “I wish to state that to the absolute very best of my recollection, it being approximately 12 years ago, and in the strongest possible terms, lest there be any doubt, that I never personally received, authorised or acknowledged the ordering, purchasing or delivery of the alleged goods referred to in the Sunday Independent article of Sunday last.
“I am hopeful that the full facts relating to this allegation will be established within days. I reiterate that when the reports are available I will publish both details immediately.”
Mr Ahern told the Dáil: “I cannot give the house any more information on whether there is any truth in any of this. All I can do is seek the information as quickly as I can. I cannot speak for anybody else.
“It’s important that this issue is addressed as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.
“I in particular, want to bring this to a speedy conclusion. I also, however, want to bring it to a definitive conclusion.”
Following publication of Sunday’s article inquiries were set up by both Aer Rianta and the Department of Transport.
