The sum of £15,000 paid to Le Coq Hardi restaurant in 1991 formed more than 12 per cent of the monies paid into the party leader's allowance account from Exchequer funds, the tribunal was told yesterday.
It also heard that Cabinet members used to go to the restaurant for lunch after meetings.
Ms Eileen Foy, personal secretary to Mr Charles Haughey and the administrator of the leader's allowance account, was asked about certain cheques made out to the restaurant, another to Adare Manor, and other drafts to AIB for French francs which, it was suggested, were for Charvet shirts.
She told the tribunal she was of the view that most of the cheques would have been pre-signed by Mr Bertie Ahern as the second signatory, as most of them were at that time.
Mr John Coughlan SC, for the tribunal, asked what she knew about a cheque dated April 4th, 1991, for £4,532.81 to Le Coq Hardi.
"It [the restaurant] was used regularly for entertainment purposes by the party, the party leader and Cabinet members, and various functions were held there," Ms Foy said.
"Members of the Government - say, they broke after a Cabinet meeting - would go down there for lunch, and the account would come to me," she said.
Mr Coughlan asked if she was sure about that. Was it paid on the leader's allowance account? "This is Exchequer money we're talking about," Mr Coughlan said.
Ms Foy replied: "I know."
Mr Coughlan said in that year in excess of £15,000 was paid to the restaurant.
"There were various committees within Fianna Fail and it wouldn't be unusual for Mr Haughey to take them to lunch or to a dinner at Le Coq Hardi," she said.
Mr Coughlan asked if it was her evidence that this cheque, for example, was drawn on the leader's allowance account appropriately.
"I assume it was," Ms Foy replied.
Mr Coughlan said this was a cheque being drawn on an account into which Exchequer money was going for a specific purpose. The drawings in that year payable to Le Coq Hardi represented 121/2 per cent of the monies paid into the account from Exchequer funds.
Other cheques to the restaurant were dated June 28th, 1991, for £4,106.80; September 26th, 1991, for £2,027.94; October 19th, 1991, for £1,757.40; and for £2,660.29, dated December 19th, 1991.
She said it was normal for entertainment for the political party to be charged to the account.
Counsel asked: "If you had brought this to the attention of Mr Ahern or even of Mr MacSharry, who was still an account-holder but was away at this time, the use of this account for this purpose would have been considered just normal by them also?"
Ms Foy replied: "I think so."
Mr Coughlan asked her about a cheque dated December 20th, 1990, for £2,403.90 to Adare Manor. She said she was only guessing, but there were of lot of American visitors flying in through Limerick, like the Kennedys or US senators.
Asked about cheques to AIB dated May 15th, 1991, for £4,570.04 and another dated July 31st, 1991, for £2,000, she said she assumed they were for French franc drafts. Mr Coughlan said on previous occasions it had transpired it was for Charvet in Paris.
Mr Coughlan then referred to Mr Ahern's statement to the Dail in September 1997 on the setting up of the tribunal in which he commented on the party leader's account and discussed it with the relevant person (Ms Foy) who had "excellent recollection".
Mr Coughlan asked: "What did you discuss that would have enabled Mr Ahern to form the opinion to express in the House that you had an excellent recollection?"
"I just don't know. I cannot remember," Ms Foy replied.