The Standards in Public Office Commission has said it will decide shortly on two complaints made about Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's acceptance of payments from businessmen in 1993 and 1994.
Two complaints were lodged with the ethics body by members of the public, which prompted the commission, chaired by High Court judge Mr Justice Mathew P Smith, to write to Mr Ahern.
"The commission has corresponded with the Taoiseach on the matter and has received his full co-operation," it said last night.
"The commission has not initiated an investigation of the complaints, nor has it decided to appoint an inquiry officer in relation to the matter.
"The standards commission will shortly complete its consideration of these complaints."
The commission could decide to open a full investigation, or appoint an inquiry officer, but it may equally decide this is not possible because the payments/gifts were received before the Ethics in Public Office Act in 1995.
One of the complaints was made following Mr Ahern's remark in an RTÉ interview that he had appointed people to State boards because they were his friends.
Under the commission's rules, State appointments "should be made on the basis of merit, taking into account the skills, qualifications and experience of the person to be appointed".
Regarding the acceptance of gifts or free services, the commission guidelines to office-holders say they should "be particularly sensitive of acceptance of gifts or hospitality from friends".
One of the complainants questioned Mr Ahern's failure to declare any benefit from the loans once the ethics legislation had come into force.
Last September, Mr Ahern confirmed he received more than £39,000 (€50,000) in two payments in 1993 and 1994, and a third separate contribution of £8,000. The sums had been raised without his knowledge, and though they were "debts of honour", no repayments had been made. In October, Mr Ahern paid back more than €90,000 to the donors: Paddy Reilly, Des Richardson, Padraic O'Connor, Jim Nugent, David McKenna, Fintan Gunne, Mick Collins, Charlie Chawke, Joe Burke, now Dublin Port and Docks Board chairman, Dermot Carew, Barry English and Paddy "The Plasterer" Reilly.
