Tribunal may discover Haughey got millions in corrupt payments

THE Moriarty Tribunal may be on the verge of finding a smoking gun that could show former Taoiseach Charles Haughey gave political favours in return for receiving millions of euro worth of donations from rich businessmen.

In a brief statement, posted on its website yesterday, the tribunal said it will hold its first public sitting in 20 months to inquire into “a number of new matters”.

It is believed this concerns a previously undisclosed meeting that Mr Haughey arranged between businessman Ben Dunne and the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners. In previous hearings it emerged the former Taoiseach had arranged one meeting between Mr Dunne - who made some €2 million in payments to Mr Haughey - and the Revenue. But this second meeting has never been publicly revealed before.