'No evidence Brennan failed to pay for gifts'

Airports-operating company Aer Rianta tonight confirmed it had found no evidence that €5,000 of whiskey, brandy and cigars was delivered to Transport Minister Seamus Brennan.

Tonight’s report follows interim findings which cleared Mr Brennan from the claims made in the Sunday Independent last week.

Inquiries were ordered after it was alleged that a senior Government minister received and failed to pay for the goods – said to be Christmas presents for friends and constituents – in the early 1990s.

Aer Rianta’s final report did however reveal a discrepancy between its former director Dermot O’Leary and former chief executive Derek Keogh, over a discussion Mr O’Leary said took place in 1993.

Mr O’Leary said Mr Keogh brought an unpaid amount due from Mr Brennan to his attention, while Mr Keogh said he had no recollection of such a discussion.

In a statement Aer Rianta said it had found no documentary or any other evidence of any supply or sale of the goods described in the article to Mr Brennan or to anybody on his behalf.

The company said that it found “no documentary or any other evidence, other than the statement by Mr Dermot O’Leary of efforts to collect an unpaid amount of this nature from Mr Seamus Brennan, or anyone on his behalf.”

It was revealed that five invoices totalling €850 were identified during its trawl of documents, but that these related to goods purchased in the normal course of business, principally by departing official delegations.

Mr Brennan said tonight he was pleased that Aer Rianta’s final report had finally cleared his name in regard to the matter, and thanked those who had worked on the investigations since last Sunday.

An investigation by his own department cleared Mr Brennan from the alleged matter last week.

Yesterday the chief executive of Aer Rianta strongly denied fresh allegations that he confirmed the goods were delivered to the transport department.

John Burke denied newspaper claims that he told his chairman Noel Hanlon that the goods were sent to Seamus Brennan’s department, along with an unpaid bill.

In a statement Aer Rianta said the allegation had not been put to Mr Burke before being published in yesterday’s Sunday Independent.