Aras Candidate Gallagher In Cash Row Attack

Irish Presidential hopeful and the poll 'favourite' Sean Gallagher has admitted that he 'may have delivered a cheque from a fuel smuggler' to Fianna Fail headquarters three years ago.

In a last push for votes ahead of polling on Thursday the seven presidential candidates took part in the final televised debate of their campaigns. The spotlight focused sharply on the race front-runner when Martin McGuinness accused Gallagher of collecting 'dirty money' on behalf of Fianna Fail.

The debate shown on RTEs Frontline programme saw Mr McGuinness claim the Independent candidate had collected a €5,000 cheque destined for Fianna Fáil from an individual in Dundalk, Co Louth, three years ago.

Gallagher had already faced a barrage of criticism from the other six presidential candidates over his political background and business deals, including a bookkeeping error over a lodged €89,000 cheque when the new accusation was launched.

Initially Gallagher said he had no recollection of the incident but then later claimed that the man in question was a known fuel smuggler with links to Sinn Fein's President Gerry Adams.

In doing this, the independent candidate seemed to admit that an envelope might have changed hands.

Talking about the man in question Gallagher said: "He's a convicted criminal, a fuel smuggler, investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau and rented the office out to Gerry Adams, Martin's colleague, in the last general election. I don't want to get involved in this."

He added: "I have no recollection of getting a cheque from this guy. I can tell you, let me explain this very simply."

Mr Gallagher said that Mr McGuinness had alleged that he had driven to the man’s house "to deliver a photograph of the event and that he gave me a cheque.

"What I have done, I may well have delivered the photograph.. . . If he gave me the cheque it was made out to Fianna Fáil headquarters and it was delivered and that was that. It was nothing to do with me."

It is understood that around 35 people were invited to a fundraiser with former Taoiseach Brian Cowen , each were asked to donate €5,000. Gallagher admits that he invited "two or three" people and helped to arrange photographs.

Asked by Pat Kenny, the debate's host, if this meant he had invited a fuel smuggler to a "Fianna Fáil do", Mr Gallagher said he wasn't aware of the man's background at the time, in 2008.

He said: "I don't know the man very well."

Sinn Fein’s McGuinness said that he had gotten a telephone tip off before he went on air. He said he did not know the man who had called him on the phone but the man claimed that he gave Mr Gallagher a cheque for €5,000 at a Fianna Fáil event in a Dundalk hotel in 2008 or 2009.

McGuinness added: "I don't know whether the envelope was white or brown, but it is the brown envelope culture that destroyed the Irish people's economy."

He said what we saw on the programme from Mr Gallagher was ''a very clear admission'' that what he had said was true.

Gallagher pushed McGuinness to reveal his source and there was some indication that the man would make an official statement but McGuinness later squashed the idea that his source would make an official statement.

Mr Gallagher said that he had expected "lots of attacks like this" since it was announced that he was leading the poll.

He said the Frontline debate had been an "ambush" and a "hatchet job" organised by Sinn Féin, adding it was "an approach they are well used to".

Mr Gallagher said in a statement today: "This was a legitimate and legal fundraiser. No banks were robbed and no members of the Gardaí were killed during it.

"This attempt to slur me and my campaign will not succeed."

Michael D Higgins', the Labour Party candidate said it was important for the public that ''all of the questions that might be in the mind of the public between now and Thursday be fully and adequately answered''.

(LB/BMcC)