Brennan cleared by Department investigation

The Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan has been cleared by a report released by his department tonight into allegations that he has an unpaid bill of £5,000 for cigars and drink with Aer Rianta.

The internal investigation found no evidence to support the allegations which appeared in last week's Sunday Independent.

The department's investigation included a trawl through records since July 1989.

It found no record of any outstanding invoice from Aer Rianta for the said amount, and found that no payments made to Aer Rianta related to cigars or drink.

The investigation interviewed officials that were then with the department as well as the Minister's personal staff, and none had seen any evidence to back up the allegations.

Minister Brennan has welcomed what he described as the 'clear and decisive results' of the investigation and said it had been deeply upsetting and hurtful to have his integrity questioned.