The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is facing another bout of questioning at the Mahon Tribunal before the end of the year.

There was an onus on the Taoiseach to explain all the circumstances to the tribunal, but this did not happen, writes Political Editor Harry McGee.

Manchester based businessman Michael Wall today confirmed to the Mahon Tribunal that he gave Taoiseach Bertie Ahern a briefcase stuffed with about stg£28,000 cash in his Dublin constituency office in 1994.

Renewed controversy surrounded the finances of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today after the Mahon Tribunal raised questions over cash deposited in his account in the 1990s.

AIB official Jim McNamara had “no explanation” yesterday for telling the Mahon Tribunal in June 2006 he was unaware Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s former partner Celia Larkin handled large cash transactions at his Dublin branch.

AIB officials told the Mahon Tribunal that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's explanations of bank lodgements do not tally with the bank's records and exchange rates.

MYSTERY surrounds a stg£30,000 sum Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Mahon Tribunal he acquired at his Dublin bank in 1995.

A BANK lodgement of IR£28,772.90 made by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s former partner, Celia Larkin, on December 5, 1994, did not equate with any sterling amount received that day in AIB branch in O’Connell Street, Dublin — but tallied with $45,000, the Mahon Planning Tribunal heard yesterday.

THE Mahon Tribunal yesterday upheld its right to probe the Taoiseach’s personal finances. The inquiry told Mr Ahern to arrive on schedule as a witness next week.

AN attempt was made yesterday to have Taoiseach Bertie Ahern dropped from giving evidence to the Mahon Planning Tribunal, which was set up to probe planning corruption in the Dublin area.

IF anything has become clear in the controversy surrounding the Taoiseach’s murky financial dealings in the mid-1990s, it is that Mr Ahern is getting precisely the same treatment as any other person appearing before the Mahon Tribunal.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s lawyer today launched a withering attack on developer Tom Gilmartin by branding allegations of corruption outlandish, incredible and unfounded.

The Taoiseach has again insisted that the Planning Tribunal is not investigating anything to do with the STG£30,000 given to him by businessman Micheal Wall.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will derive some small comfort from today’s Irish Examiner opinion poll showing Fianna Fáil less damaged than expected, even though the party is continuing to slide as support for Fine Gael and Labour grows.

AT the crucial moment of their investigation into the Watergate scandal, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein told Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee that Deepthroat had confirmed the conspiracy ran to the highest levels of the White House.

POLITICAL expediency, cooler heads and common sense have finally prevailed to save the crisis-ridden Coalition.

RELATIONS between the Coalition partners were close to breaking point last night over Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s failure to inform Tánaiste Michael McDowell about an Irish-born businessman who was present in a Manchester hotel when Mr Ahern received £8,000 (€12,000).

THE former Tánaiste Mary Harney categorically denied last night that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had told her that he had received loans from friends in 1993 and 1994.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern’s seeming inability to be completely honest, up-front, entirely clear and unambiguous about his financial affairs has finally thrown the political situation into chaos amid growing signs that the Progressive Democrats may be about to walk out of the coalition Government.

More businessmen today came forward to support an account by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on how he received cash at a Manchester function while Finance Minister in 1994.