Burke tells of 'rat in anorak' jibe

Collection:Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was referred to as "the rat in the anorak" by cabinet colleagues in 1992, the Mahon tribunal was told yesterday.

The chairman of Dublin Port Authority, Joe Burke, said that at about the time that Albert Reynolds took over as leader of Fianna Fáil, comments were made about Mr Ahern by some of his colleagues.

"Others said it would be nice to know where the Taoiseach would live," Mr Burke said.

He said the comments were partly the reason why he and three other friends of Mr Ahern decided to give him a "dig-out" of £16,500 in September 1994.

Mr Burke contributed £3,500 toeards the "dig-out".

The other contributors were Paddy "the Plasterer" Reilly, businessman Barry English and publican Dermot Carew.

The collection was made after the four friends had a discussion in Mr Carew's pub, the Beaumont House, about Mr Ahern's housing needs. Mr Burke said Mr Ahern had also lived with Mr Burke and his family "on and off" after his marriage ended, on one occasion for two weeks.

Counsel for the tribunal, Henry Murphy SC, asked why the friends had waited 2½ years after the remarks about the Taoiseach to make the collection.

"Who knows why a sequence of events happens at certain times," Mr Burke replied.

Pressed on the details of the conversation between the four men on the night they decided to make their contribution, he said it was difficult to remember.

"This was almost closing time on a Saturday night, none of us were driving and a certain amount of alcohol was consumed," he said.

Mr Burke said he contributed cash to the collection from the proceeds of a pub salvage business.

Mr Burke had £5,000 in an envelope in a safe and had intending giving that, but he spotted a present for his wife, whose birthday it was at the end of September, and took £1,500 out of the kitty for that gift.

He gave the remaining £3,500 to Mr Carew in his pub in £50 and £20 notes, he said.

He told the tribunal that if the same circumstances occurred today, he would do the same.

"I didn't give it to the minister of finance, I didn't give it to a politician, I gave it to a personal friend of long standing," he said.

Afterwards, Mr Ahern offered to pay it back on at least two occasions, he said.