Ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern has insisted he was never told about the specifics of developer Seán Quinn’s issues with Angle Irish Bank — despite a private meeting at his home with Brian Cowen days after the 2008 St Patrick’s Day stock exchange “massacre”.

The Government is set to buy its way out of unpopularity over the coming days with election promises in what will be the longest run-in to an election ever, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has claimed.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has confirmed that members of one of the consortia bidding for the second mobile phone licence attended a fund- raiser he hosted just days before the competition was decided.