I have no case to answer on bill, says Brennan

TRANSPORT Minister Séamus Brennan has told senior officials in his department that he has no case to answer over allegations that a Government minister left an unpaid £5,000 bill for drink and cigars with Aer Rianta.

Mr Brennan has ordered the secretary general of his department to carry out a full investigation into the affair and a report is expected to be published within days.

The allegations, which emerged over the weekend, outlined how the airport management company allegedly delivered whiskey, brandy and cigars to an unnamed minister.

At the launch of an investment into new railway carriages yesterday, Mr Brennan said he was unable to confirm or deny whether he was the minister at the centre of the allegations.

But sources close to the minister last night went further and said the minister had told them he had no case to answer and was adamant he has not done anything wrong.

The affair will be raised in the Dáil today when Fine Gael and Labour will say that it is unacceptable for Mr Brennan's to launch an "in-house" probe into the affair.

Labour's transport spokesperson Roisín Shortall said a "reputable person" such as the Government's secretary general should instead undertake the inquiry and report back to the Taoiseach.

A spokesperson for Minister Brennan rejected this and said the secretary general was independent of the minister and was technically the department's chief accounting officer.

A Government spokesperson also said Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was "happy" with the Mr Brennan's probe.

A separate inquiry into the affair has been established by Aer Rianta chairman, Noel Hanlon, said to have become aware of the allegations towards the end of last week.

The probe will be carried out by the company secretary and Aer Rianta's chief internal auditor. A company spokesperson said there was no indication when it would be completed.

So far both inquiries have failed to turn up any written evidence, such as bills or invoices, linked to the alleged gifts.

The controversy took another twist yesterday when former chairman of Aer Rianta Dermot O'Leary said he raised the question of unpaid gifts with the accused minister almost 10 years ago.

The former chairman said he had raised the allegations twice with the minister concerned who denied any link to them.