Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

It is deeply disappointing the Taoiseach did not take questions on this matter. I accept what the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, said regarding this issue deserving a whole-Government response. For reasons outlined in my question I believe the Taoiseach should have answered questions before the House at this time in regard to the report, particularly those aspects relating to the pattern of Fine Gael fundraising at the time of the awarding of this licence. This must be done and the report must be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Apart from the Esat issue and the awarding of the licence, the tribunal refers, for example, to a rent deal at the time between Mr. Ben Dunne and the then Minister, Deputy Lowry, as being corrupt. That in itself raises serious concerns.

The part of the report I have read states that it is beyond doubt that Deputy Lowry, as Minister at the time, imparted substantive information to Mr. Denis O'Brien which was "of significant value and assistance to him in securing the licence". At very best that is improper and highly irregular. Serious consideration of this point demands that the report be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Let us be clear - this was the largest licence awarded by the State at the time, as the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, noted. We must pursue whatever wrongdoing occurred in order to restore a reputation which has been damaged in regard to how we in this country award licences.

I asked for a full debate on this and the reason I suggested next Monday was to give people a reasonable timeframe within which to read the entire report. I again ask the Minister if he would agree to a full debate on the report and its findings on that day. I also ask the Minister how he would account for the then Government's failures on this issue, as to both the process and the actual decision. Does he accept there were serious failures on the part of the then rainbow Government? Should the Taoiseach apologise for those failures and the role of that Government in terms of this most unedifying spectacle? The report states that at best the then Minister, Deputy Lowry, essentially bypassed the consideration of his Cabinet colleagues and thereby not only influenced but delivered the result whereby Esat Digifone won the evaluation process which led ultimately to the licensing award. The question begs to be asked: What were the other experienced Ministers doing when this came before the Cabinet? When the issue of the licence came to the Cabinet table did people look at it in considerable detail or did they merely allow the Minister, Deputy Lowry, to run roughshod over them? The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, was at the table. Deputy Higgins asked what were the Minister's recollections of what happened at that time. There is reference in the report to the then Taoiseach, John Bruton, being misled by the Minister, Deputy Lowry, in this regard. One does not want to come to immediate conclusions but the then rainbow Ministers were either fools or knaves if they allowed the Minister, Deputy Lowry, to run roughshod over them on this issue.

The Minister made reference to the relationship between business and politics and the report is very disturbing in terms of the pattern of fundraising that went on in the Fine Gael Party at the time and the degree to which Mr. Denis O'Brien, in particular, according to the report, deliberately and conspicuously raised his profile within that party and had meetings. For example, he had a meeting at Fine Gael headquarters in February 1995 in order to become acquainted with the then Minister, Deputy Lowry. I believe he also met the present Taoiseach, Deputy Kenny, at around the same time. Clearly, he was endeavouring to influence key decision makers within the party, including the current Taoiseach, who was a senior Minister, the Minister, Deputy Lowry, and other Fine Gael Ministers.

There is a clear pattern between 1995 and 1996 of donations to the Fine Gael Party over and above those made by any other company or consortia involved in bidding for this licence. Does the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, find particularly disturbing the confluence or coicidence of the increased pattern of donations to Fine Gael in or around the lead up to the awarding of the licence and the actual licensing? I am glad the Taoiseach is present in the Chamber. I would argue he has very good reason, apart altogether from the Government issues, to address the Fine Gael issues. Concerning, for example, the then general secretary of Fine Gael, Mr. Tom Curran, and the non-disclosure of the Telenor cheque the findings are significant in terms of the lack of co-operation with the tribunal. Mr. Curran said at the time it would have been "politically disastrous" to report the donation to the Moriarty tribunal and he feared that if the donation was revealed the connection might be made between Fine Gael and the granting of a mobile telephone licence to Esat Digifone.

It is extremely disturbing. That linkage between fundraising donations and the awarding of the licence really comes through the report. One is led-----

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