Lenihan family:The family of the late former minister for foreign affairs, Brian Lenihan, last night declined to condemn Charles Haughey, despite the Moriarty tribunal's findings that he had siphoned money raised to pay for their father and brother's liver transplant operation.
Mr Lenihan's sister, Mary O'Rourke, who served in cabinet alongside Mr Haughey, said: "The chapter is closed, the book is closed. My brother is dead, Mr Haughey is dead."
Her brother had received his liver transplant, she said: "It was a very fine operation, and he had six good years of life afterwards.Both men are gone to their reward now," she noted.
"We don't want to go into it. The family are very appreciative to all those who made contributions to the fund [that was set up under Mr Haughey's control]. We got to enjoy his company for six years after it. The matter is over."
Her nephew and Mr Lenihan's son, Conor, who is now serving as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said: "You might call me old-fashioned, or charitable, but I don't want to comment on it."
The Moriarty tribunal had made its findings, he said. "We fully accept the tribunal's conclusions. It had more information available to it than was available to me."
Mr Haughey had been "very supportive" of his father both before, during and after the transplant operation took place in the Mayo Clinic in the US.
"The tribunal has made definitive conclusions from its knowledge. That is something I don't intend to contradict. At the end of the day my father is gone; Mr Haughey is gone. This is a matter for the historical record.
"It is important that the public learn the lessons and move on. I don't feel that my commenting one way, or the other is helpful at this time," said the Dublin South West TD.
The Government, he said, under Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's leadership had made radical changes to the laws governing political conduct and donations since the tribunals began.
"It is very important to note that actions to rectify these areas were taken before the tribunal reported. I am confident that the controls that we have in place now means that behaviour on a cross-party basis is now much more appropriate. That is as it should be. These controls were introduced by Fianna Fáil, and it was absolutely essential that we did that," he said.
Earlier, he told NewsTalk radio station that the conclusions reached by Mr Justice Moriarty were "very serious findings for the tribunal to make".
He said those who contributed to the fund set up by Mr Haughey, which eventually raised £275,000 even though only £70,000 was needed for the operation, could seek redress if they so wished.
"If anyone feels the money they gave was misappropriated or wrongfully spent, it's up to them to seek redress if they can. It was a very upsetting time . . . on balance, Charles Haughey was very good to my father.
"My father never held a grudge. He remained friends with Charles Haughey even after the presidential election [in 1990]."
