Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday accepted he had not supplied the Mahon tribunal with the comprehensive information it requested concerning cash lodgements that the tribunal was investigating over a two-and-a-half year period. Colm Keena, Paul Cullenand Fiona Gartlandreport
Correspondence between Mr Ahern's solicitors and the tribunal covering the period October 2004 to April of this year was read into the record yesterday and revealed that at one stage the tribunal "threatened" Mr Ahern with a summons because of his failure to supply requested information.
In March of last year the tribunal said it would summons Mr Ahern to a public session of the tribunal to answer questions, if his solicitors did not respond to requests for further information concerning the cash lodgements.
Mr Ahern's solicitors complained about this "threat" but soon afterwards a report, drafted by accountant Des Peelo and based on what he had been told by Mr Ahern, was submitted to the tribunal.
Tribunal counsel Des O'Neill said yesterday that the report "did not encompass all of the material questions that had been asked of you".
"And I think you accept that?" he suggested to Mr Ahern
"I accept that, yes," said Mr Ahern.
The report did not mention the involvement of sterling cash in a number of the lodgements now being inquired into by the tribunal, Mr O'Neill said.
Mr Ahern said he had attempted at all times to supply the information being sought by the tribunal but accepted that it was "not happy with the comprehensive explanation that I thought I had given you".
In the course of reading out the correspondence it was disclosed that the tribunal sought to get information from Mr Ahern relating to his separation from his wife, Miriam, but that Mr Ahern contested the tribunal's entitlement to see this documentation.
Mr O'Neill said that Mr Ahern and his wife took an application in which the tribunal was a notice party and which was resolved "in favour of you and your wife" and indicating "that the documentation was not documentation you were obliged or anybody was obliged to provide to the tribunal".
The public gallery was full to capacity yesterday when Mr Ahern appeared to give his first day of evidence in the tribunal's public hearings into aspects of his personal finances.
In conflict with usual practice Mr Ahern was allowed to read out a personal statement at the outset. He said he had been involved in politics for more than 30 years and was in the totally unfair position of having to defend his honesty and integrity as a result of unfounded allegations.
"I have done nothing improper. I have done no wrong and wronged no one."
Mr Ahern said he had never taken money from anyone in return for a political favour and had "endeavoured to serve the country to my utmost". In his statement Mr Ahern addressed a number of the cash lodgements which are the focus of the current sittings, and altered or added to his account of these lodgements.
Afterwards tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon said it would have been preferable if Mr Ahern had supplied the statement beforehand, so it could have been examined and possibly have its contents checked by the tribunal.
Mr Ahern continues his evidence today and it is expected he will face forensic questioning from Mr O'Neill about four cash lodgements in 1994 and 1995 totalling more than £180,000, all of which were preceded by foreign exchange transactions.