A file containing details of political donations by the Irish Permanent before 1994 cannot be located, its former chief executive told the tribunal.
Mr Roy Douglas, chief executive between 1994 and 1999, said he heard his predecessor, Dr Edmund Farrell, had a file containing details of donations, but he had never seen it.
When asked by Mr Jerry Healy SC, for the tribunal, had the file not been transferred from Dr Farrell's office to his own when he took over in 1994, Mr Douglas said it did not appear to have been. "We do not have it, that is, my secretary and my office does not have it," said Mr Douglas.
Mr Douglas said in 1994 when he became chief executive, he opened a new file dealing with political donations. He said among the donations made were £25,000 in 1994 and 1995 to Fianna Fail. He said these details were entered in a new file.
When Mr Healy asked why they were not entered in the old file, Mr Douglas said: "I am not aware of that file, but I am aware of that fact that it is understood that there was one." Mr Healy said: "What I am just wondering is when the 1994 and 1995 political contributions came to be made on foot of one assumes were the usual requests. Where was the documentation concerning those requests and those responses filed?"
"It would be filed by my secretary in a file dealing with correspondence with political parties," said Mr Douglas.
Mr Douglas said political parties constantly approached the building society looking for donations. He said requests were normally made to the chief executive by the leader of the party.
Mr Douglas said a £40,000 cheque dated August 16th, 1991, had been made out to Fianna Fail for a local election. He said other parties got smaller amounts in ratio to their Dail strength. He said Fine Gael had not received a contribution because it had not applied.
Mr Douglas said he became aware through his solicitors that the cheque for Fianna Fail had not ended up with the party.