"He obviously discovered the error of his ways when he got another opportunity in 1987 and started appropriate policies, with the assistance of Ray McSharry and Alan Dukes, to bring the country back from the brink of bankruptcy . . . From that point of view he can be seen as someone who changed from being populist in the early 1980s to being more confident in the management of the economy."

Sean FitzPatrick, chairman Anglo Irish Bank "He was a big picture man, who certainly had his faults, " FitzPatrick says. "There were two eras. The first era he was offbeam, when he did huge borrowing and got us into financial deficit. The second time he had learned a lesson and the true Haughey came through. I can't think of any modern politician who has done as much."

Haughey's was "exceptionally different to other politicians of the time", he says. "There was just no hope. Things were very bureaucratic and done at a snail's pace. There wasn't the entrepreneurial sense there is now. Ireland was dark and we were losing our best to emigration. He was there at that time and set the foundation for us to come through."

FitzPatrick recalls meeting Padraig O'hUiginn, once the civil servant closest to Haughey, in the early IFSC days. "I saw him knocking heads together. He'd have German banks complaining that they didn't have licences and he'd say 'we'll get the finance minister to say something in the Dail'.

"Previously it was bland, inwardlooking civil servants and a bland inward-looking business community.

Haughey deserves credit for what he achieved."

Brody Sweeney, founder O'Briens Sandwich Bars (and Fine Gael candidate for Dublin North East) "The IFSC is what I remember him for, but I don't think he should have got a state funeral, " says Sweeney, who was running Prontaprint during the 1980s. "He did a lot of bad things and shouldn't have been honoured by the state: going on television and telling people to tighten their belts while taking hundreds of thousands from business people."

Sweeney left school in 1979, and says about 95% of his peers emigrated. "It would upset you the thought that super-rich people had a private club going where they were helping each other out and avoiding tax, and the rest of us PAYE bastards were trying to stay alive. That doesn't leave me with a warm and gooey feeling."

The 1980s was a "horrible time" for doing business, he says. "I never made money, interest rates were ridiculous, no one would lend you money and noone was spending money anyway."

John Teeling, exploration and distilling entrepreneur Like Haughey, Clontarf man Teeling went to Joey's in Marino.

He is a Haughey cheerleader. "He had incredible vision, " he says.

"By doing things like the IFSC, Temple Bar, doing positive things on tax, he helped to create a positive environment. His views permeated government."

What makes a successful business manager is someone who makes decisions, Teeling says. "Some people couldn't make decisions to save their lives. He made decisions." Teeling believes the "can do" environment in Ireland is a Haughey legacy.

"Albert Reynolds was a great man for making decisions as well, but a lot of that was because he knew he would be supported.

"Haughey started the snowball rolling down the hill and a lot of people suddenly believed they could do it."

Paschal Taggart, chairman Bord na gCon "It's my opinion that he was the originator of the Celtic Tiger when he went along with Dermot Desmond's proposal for the IFSC and the tax regime, " Taggart says.

"It was probably the most innovative action by any prime minister around the world."

Taggart notes Haughey's contribution to the horseracing industry by introducing tax breaks for stud fees in 1969. "Curiously enough, greyhounds weren't included until Ruairi Quinn introduced them in 1996.

Haughey owned a few greyhounds but he forgot us in the tax relief."

Haughey deserves credit for picking the best ideas presented to him, he reckons.

As for accepting 'gifts', Taggart suggests it was a feature of the time.

"I would suggest, " he says, "that, in the whole world of politics, that is how politics operated in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Now you only have to look at the Russians. . .

"Personally, if people wanted to give money to leaders, I don't believe they were doing it for promises. What was £1m to Ben Dunne? Nothing."