I never took a backhander from anyone, insists Ahern
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern speaking to the media on leaving the Mahon Tribunal at Dublin Castle at the conclusion of his evidence yesterday
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BERTIE AHERN left the Mahon Tribunal yesterday proclaiming he had never taken a bribe or a backhander from anybody in his life.
The 57-year-old former Taoiseach, in a final parting shot to the tribunal and its lawyers, said: "I have done my best in the tribunal to tell the full truth."
His comments came after he concluded his evidence following 13 full days in the witness box spread over a year.
Acknowledging that the three judges had a hard job to do, Mr Ahern said he had been dealing with issues raised by the planning probe for more than eight years. There had been a concerted campaign by people who did everything they could to damage him, he claimed.
Peppered
At times he felt that the tribunal lawyers had set out to trap and trick him, but he wanted to end on a friendly note. "I repeat, I never in my public life took a bribe or backhander from anybody," Mr Ahern added.
His final day in the witness box at the planning probe was peppered by claims from his lawyer that the Mahon Tribunal was pursuing an agenda against the former Taoiseach.
Mr Ahern's lawyer Conor Maguire accused tribunal judge Gerald Keys of making up his mind about one aspect without hearing all the evidence.
And he claimed that tribunal lawyer Des O'Neill was also pursuing an agenda in his questioning of the former Taoiseach.
Judge Keys pursued Mr Ahern's account of a private function in San Diego in which the politician said he couldn't remember meeting Niall Lawlor, son of the late TD Liam Lawlor. Mr Maguire said he objected to the speculative nature of the questions and the conclusions that were reached.
"I want to reserve our position on that," Mr Maguire added. "What problem have you got with the questions I asked?" retorted Judge Keys.
"There is an issue here as to whether in fact there was a meeting between Niall Lawlor and Mr Ahern. This is a fact-finding exercise, we three judges have to sit down at a later stage and try to ascertain what in fact happened."
Mr Maguire said the judge's questioning was based on speculation. He added that it was clear from the course of the exchange that the judge had already made up his mind in relation to one aspect without hearing all the evidence.
Mr Ahern also vociferously rejected suggestions that government ministers did favours in return for financial contributions. The former Taoiseach said he had never seen a government decision predicated on the fact that "somebody squared money into a party or into their own pocket".
Suggestion
Rejecting the suggestion that a IR£100,000 contribution to Fianna Fail in 1994 by Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan was conditional on support from Mr Ahern and then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds for Mr O'Callaghan's national stadium project in Neilstown, Co Dublin, Mr Ahern said it implied that when somebody made a contribution to a party they received help in return.
"That is not the way the democratic process works," he said.
There was no list going around saying they would help Joe or Mary Bloggs because they gave money.
He added: "Never in my 40 years in public office have I taken a bribe or money from any individual."
These included investment bankers Chilton O'Connor, Owen O'Callaghan, Tom Gilmartin or Frank Dunlop. He never ever "got a cup of coffee" from them, he declared.
Earlier, Mr Ahern's evidence was briefly interrupted when a man was ejected after shouting insults at the former Taoiseach.
- Lorna Reid and Fergus Black
