Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It gives me no satisfaction to have to raise again matters about which the Taoiseach spoke yesterday. However, it appears the credibility of the Taoiseach as leader of the country is being torn to shreds by contradictions emerging from statements he made here and elsewhere. The Irish people do not give two hoots whether the Taoiseach and Mr. Padraic O'Connor were friends, but it matters to them that they are not taken for fools. The Taoiseach can accept as a fact that a €5,000 donation ended up in one of his personal bank accounts. Could the Taoiseach clarify three important issues as much for me as for anybody else?

On the national airwaves, the Taoiseach told Mr. Bryan Dobson of RTE that Mr. O'Connor accepted that he took the money only on the basis that it was a loan, a debt of honour, and that he would repay it with interest. The Taoiseach told the Mahon tribunal that he thanked Mr. O'Connor for this money. The Taoiseach told Mr. Dobson on RTE that he offered to repay the money to Mr. O'Connor. Those are three statements the Taoiseach made in the full knowledge of what he was saying. I have the quotes and the references here if the Taoiseach wants me to read them out. I am sure he does not. Does the Taoiseach still say he personally thanked Mr. O'Connor for this money? Does he still say he told Mr. O'Connor he would accept the money only as a loan? Does he still say he offered to repay the money? These are three questions directly relevant to three statements the Taoiseach made.

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