Four people have disputed the account Charles Haughey gave to Moriarty Tribunal lawyers about his financial affairs. The Tribunal has concluded its reading out of evidence given by the former Taoiseach in private session. Mr Haughey told lawyers that they were carrying out an "inquisition" as they questioned him about his lack of knowledge of his own financial affairs.
The answer was a familiar one to the Tribunal. He said that because of his political commitments, he had left the management of his complicated financial affairs to others. But the picture he had painted for Tribunal lawyers was disputed today by four witnesses.
Eileen Foy, Mr Haughey's former secretary, said that she did not remember her role in the same way her old employer had described it. He said that she would have attended to all banking matters and acted on her own initiative. She disagreed, saying that when large sums were at stake, she would have received instructions from her boss.
Witnesses from Deloitte and Touche also gave a starkly different account. They told the Tribunal that Mr Haughey's view of their role was absolutely and completely at loggerheads with reality. Jack Stakelum, who once operated Mr Haughey's bill-paying service, agreed. They all disputed Mr Haughey's assertion that they were responsible for making sure his tax affairs were in order.
