Mahon Tribunal will Investigate Five ‘Substantial’ Lodgements to Bertie Ahern’s Bank Accounts, Believe there are Problems with his Story

How big an influence is this likely to have on Government formation?

RTE are reporting the Tribunal has found ‘discrepancies’ in payments made to Bertie Ahern, one of which has not arisen in the leaks to the press pre-election. The Tribunal reveal that from their examination of the bank records, the £30,000 sterling transaction could not have been a sterling transaction on that day-stating that there is no record within the bank of such a transaction. There is one that does match, the $45,000 that was mooted in earlier leaks, which the Tribunal appears to believe is credibly linked to the Taoiseach.

But Des O’Neill SC for the inquiry said today that the £28,777 lodged did not equate with the sterling exchange rate and that bank records showed there were no such sterling transactions that day. There were however transactions in other currencies that day which would equate a payment of $45,000 dollars.

Equally there are discrepancies within the 8,000 payment which, the Mahon Tribunal appears to believe, the Taoiseach doesn’t account for properly. They appear to be suggesting that the sterling story doesn’t add up.

From Breakingnews.ie:

In the opening statement of the latest module today, the tribunal said it would be examining five substantial lodgements to bank accounts in the name of Mr Ahern and his daughter between 1993 and 1995. The lodgements total more than €116,000.

Mr Ahern is expected to be called to give evidence in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, tribunal chairman Alan Mahon used the resumption of public hearings today to condemn the leaking of confidential information from the inquiry about Mr Ahern’s finances.

He said he was carrying out an investigation to try to identify the source of the leaks.