Ahern seeks to define 'a political donation for personal use'

1994 donation:The Taoiseach has said that a cheque given to him in 1994 was a "political donation for personal use".

Bertie Ahern was asked by counsel for the tribunal, Des O'Neill SC, why he had lodged a contribution cheque by an unnamed donor to a personal Irish Permanent Building Society account he was using to save for a house.

"I don't want to get into a top of a needle about that," Mr Ahern responded.

"I would only do that if they said that money is for you, it's for Bertie Ahern, it's for your use and that's how you use it."

He said if they told him "that's for your political job", he'd give it to his constituency.

"Why would you take money like that, Mr Ahern?" Mr O'Neill asked. "In what circumstances would you not say, 'sorry, I don't take money from you . . . I'm not going to take gifts from you merely because I'm a politican'?"

"Nowadays you're not allowed to take it without total declaration," Mr Ahern replied, "but if somebody gave you money and said it's for your use then they are giving it to you as a gift. That's the only way."

Tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon asked Mr Ahern if he believed a political donation was a donation to him as a politician to be used to discharge political expenses, or a personal gift to be used to spend on holidays or a house.

Mr Ahern responded that sometimes individuals might give him a contribution for his personal use and if he lodged it to a personal account he still ended up spending it on the constituency.

"You'd still end up using it," he said.

"I could spend €400 or €500 in any weekend around the country in draws for cars for clubs, for organisations. I have to use my personal money to do that, every politician does."

Mr O'Neill asked if he had kept records of the gifts.

"The fact that you were paid by PAYE doesn't reconcile any of those to any one lodgement unless it's exactly the same amount," Mr O'Neill said.

"The absence of records is inconsistent with the responses you have given in relation to your financial book-keeping habits."

He said the lodgements were in excess of 2½ times Mr Ahern's actual earnings at the time.

Mr Ahern said he earned about £280,000 between 1987 and 1994 and saved only £54,000.

"I was cashing my cheque and putting some money in and holding the remainder of the money," he said.