No recollection of £50,000 withdrawal , says Ahern

Bertie Ahern has said he cannot recall driving his former partner Celia Larkin to the bank to make a £50,000 cash withdrawal in 1995.

Mr Ahern was unable to tell the tribunal anything of note yesterday about the withdrawal, other than that Ms Larkin had passed on the money to him.

Ms Larkin said in evidence earlier this month that she collected a package containing the money from AIB in O'Connell Street on January 19th, 1995, having been driven to the branch by Mr Ahern. She said they then drove to Mr Ahern's constituency office, St Luke's in Drumcondra where Mr Ahern took possession of the money.

Yesterday, the Taoiseach said he had no issues in relation to the accuracy of Ms Larkin's evidence. He did not remember the day, though she certainly gave him the money.

"She certainly did give me the money. I could well have driven her, at the time I could well have brought her in or I could have went in with somebody else driving, I don't recall. But she certainly gave me the money."

He said he lost his Garda driver within hours of going out of government in mid-December 1994. As leader of the Opposition, he did not employ a permanent driver until March 1995, and between these two times he was an insured car-owner while also employing people on occasional days.

Mr Ahern said that while he recalled Ms Larkin giving him the money, he did not remember where this took place. "If I was to remember every time I drove up O'Connell Street in my life I'd be doing well."

Des O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, pointed out that Ms Larkin in her evidence had said she was relying on Mr Ahern's recollection of events yet Mr Ahern was saying he could not remember the circumstances of the withdrawal.

"I got the money back, there's no doubt about that" the Taoiseach responded.