The former Taoiseach of Ireland (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern has bee accused of lying about how money was paid into his bank accounts during the early 1990s by the Mahon Tribunal which investigated his financial dealings.
On Thursday morning the tribunal published its final report after a 15-year investigation.
"Much of the explanation provided by Mr Ahern as to the source of the substantial funds identified and inquired into in the course of the tribunal’s public hearings was deemed by the tribunal to be untrue." the Mahon Tribunal stated
A finding of corruption against former government minister Padraig Flynn was also stated.
“Former minister and EU commissioner Pádraig Flynn "having wrongfully and corruptly sought a substantial donation from (developer) Tom Gilmartin for the Fianna Fáil Party, and having been paid IR£50,000 by Mr Gilmartin for that purpose, proceeded to utilise the money for his personal benefit". says the report.
The report is “a damning indictment” of Ahern’s 15 days of evidence given on a “labyrinthine money trail” according to BreakingNews.ie. The former Irish leader lied about tens of thousands of pounds that passed through his accounts.
It continued "Those findings of fact which are adverse to Mr Ahern and on occasion others clearly demonstrated that important aspects of Mr Ahern's evidence was rejected by the tribunal."
Ahern did not explain the source of deposits of IR£22,500 in December 1993 and £10,000 pounds sterling in June 1995 into his bank account.
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Judge Alan Mahon, the head of the tribunal, rejected Ahern's evidence. The former Irish leader stated that he was saving sterling for a planned investment in Manchester.
The judge said he could not rule out or establish if Ahern had been paid off by a developer.
Tom Gilmartin, a property developer, had said another developer, Owen O’Callaghan from Cork, boasted about paying IR£50,000 in 1989 and IR£30,000 in 1992. At this time Ahern was in the position of finance minister.
Mahon said “Regrettably, the Tribunal’s inquiries were rendered inconclusive.
“Because the tribunal has been unable to identify the true sources of the funds in question, it could not therefore determine whether or not the payment to Mr Ahern of all or any of the fund in question were in fact made by or initiated or arranged directly or indirectly by Mr O’Callaghan or by any other identifiable third party or parties.”
The tribunal also found that the late Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor "corruptly requested a payment of IR£100,000" for himself and former Dublin City and County Assistant Manager George Redmond.
On Thursday morning the 3,270-page report of the Planning and Payments Tribunal was been published online.
The Mahon Tribunal report sat in public for over 900 days, over 11 years. It heard evidence from 400 witnesses and examined 130,000 pages of documents.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.IrelandNorth | Mar 28, 2012, 08:04 AM EDT
"Best democracy money can buy!" "Greatest sovereignty ever sold!" The whole Europhilic political establishment were singing from the same hymnsheet for Nice/Lisbon referenda, which ceeded Ireland's delimited sovereignty to Europe hegemony. The same class prevails in Ireland as did under British rule - the Me-Fein (Me Myself) parties. What a pale reflection of the Irishmen and Irishwomen of 1916.
BARNEYKX | Mar 24, 2012, 07:01 PM EDT
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to resign his membership of Fianna Fáil just days before the party’s National Executive meets to consider a motion to expel him.
BARNEYKX | Mar 24, 2012, 06:57 PM EDT
aherne resigns
BARNEYKX | Mar 24, 2012, 06:47 PM EDT
Bertie the most devious of them all as Haughy once said, what a pair of rogues
LoyalCitizen | Mar 23, 2012, 10:33 AM EDT
@esatdigiwank: It looks more likely that we the people who are loyal will have to defend a nation and take back our country from traitorous little filth..............As we do not need permission under Article 9.2.3 of the Irish Constitution it is becoming more realistic.
esatdigiwank | Mar 23, 2012, 06:38 AM EDT
LoyalC, how do you suggest Ire. could muster such an army.? And look how many rural barracks have been closed: Mullingar, Castlebar, there's more (?). You could say that was more than by design! Does that not demobilise the Army further? An army as such would have to consist of mercenaries, don't you think? Mercenaries from outside. Long lost are the days of the Big Fella's Flying Squad. Superior to any foreign mercenaries.
Collette2 | Mar 22, 2012, 11:34 PM EDT
If he has lied, once a liar always a liar and a liar is worse than a thief. He's not covering up for the church or state, which would be bad enough. Get rid of him!
VonLiebenitz | Mar 22, 2012, 11:29 PM EDT
You know were we put crooks?Particularly ones that break public confidence and sell off our forests to private investors?That,s right folks Jail.25 years sounds about right.Anyone with me?
jacersagain | Mar 22, 2012, 04:56 PM EDT
I posted under Paul Allen’s article elsewhere on ICentral on this (and other) Tribunal(s) in some detail but here I’ll set out what I think is what this Mahon Tribunal delivered: >>> 1) It delivered a series of judgements rightly blackening several Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour Party politicians, a few Property Developers and their companies over backhanders and corruption. >>> 2) It found sums of money roughly totalling some €2,500,000 ‘corruptly’ changed hands back then between politicians and property developers. >>>>> Ok – so let me get this straight – it cost Irish Taxpayers €300,000,000 (€300m) to find out that €2.5m changed hands? And since the Tribunal is ‘devoid’ of legal consequences’, nobody goes to jail. Can we taxpayers have the €297,500,000 change please?
RockNReel | Mar 22, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT
Of course its well known that Bertie was always a Wide boy and probably the "cutest hoor" -to quote an Irishism- who ever entered politics in Ireland. he was smart enough to install another gombeen man in his place when he left so that his back would be well covered in the event that he was found out. But, found out he was, and he is still walking around with the Cheshire cat grin and a nod and a wink to the brown Envelope brigade who put him in power
LoyalCitizen | Mar 22, 2012, 08:43 AM EDT
Ireland has been run by money worshipping traitors since day one.........Time to get an army that can defend a nation.......Time to get a police force that can police and clean out the sh*t running the courts and so called government.