Reynolds knew of payment to minister before re-appointment

Former taoiseach Albert Reynolds was told of a developer’s £50,000 payment to one of his ministers but failed to inquire of it and instead re-appointed the individual to cabinet, the inquiry found.

The money was given to then environment minister Padraig Flynn in 1989 by Sligo-born developer Tom Gilmartin, but was never passed on to Fianna Fáil.

A number of Fianna Fáil senior figures were informed of the £50,000 payment, including Mr Reynolds and Bertie Ahern, but nothing was inquired of Mr Flynn until the tribunal began in the late 1990s.