The total amount of money paid through the Taoiseach's office to the Mayo clinic in the US for medical expenses for the then Tanaiste, Mr Brian Lenihan, in 1989 and 1990 was $82,386, the tribunal heard.
However, another bill for $81,602, believed to have been for the actual operation, was not paid through the Taoiseach's office or Department of Foreign Affairs, although the clinic certified it had been paid.
Mr Padraic MacKernan, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, confirmed he had prepared a memo about Departmental records concerning the hospitalisation of the late Mr Lenihan at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, US, in 1989/90.
At that time, Mr MacKernan was serving as the Irish ambassador to the US in Washington DC.
A note in the records dated June 20th, 1989 referred to discussions which had taken place between the then Departmental secretary and then Taoiseach on how the medical expenses were to be dealt with.
It indicated the medical invoices were to be directed to the ambassador in Washington DC for onward transmission to the secretary's office in Dublin. The Taoiseach was to make private arrangements for payments of the invoices on behalf of the Lenihan family and the Department was to act simply as a "post office".
Mr John Coghlan SC, for the tribunal, said the Department received 10 invoices from the Mayo clinic in 1989/90. Invoices, the first dated May 23rd, 1989, were for $7,840.80, $16,950.50, $48,972.70, $261.50, $1,409.60, $62.61, $6,810 and $79. All were paid through the Taoiseach's office.
One invoice dated July 6th, 1989 was forwarded by Mr MacKernan to Dublin on July 11th, 1989. He said there was no record of payment or cheque from the Taoiseach's office to the Department but the clinic certified the bill was paid.
"I think that is the bill for the actual operation," Mr Coughlan said. He said that it was for $81,602.74. Another invoice dated July 7th, 1989, was forwarded to Dublin but Mr MacKernan said the clinic advised the bill for $207 was not payable as it was carrying out an investigation for its own research purposes.
Three sums were reimbursed to the Department in respect of hotel and subsistence costs incurred by Mr Lenihan and his party during the course of his treatment in May/June 1989, totalling £12,497.02. Another cheque for a hotel was forwarded for $1,885.60 and for a limousine service for $235.75. Earlier, a former director of Celtic Helicopters challenged Mr Haughey's conclusion that two Lenihan fund cheques totalling £30,000 were "inadvertently" lodged in and withdrawn from the company's account on June 13th, 1989. Mr John Barnicle accepted Mr Haughey was the only person who thought the transaction was a mistake.