Rabbitte accuses Ahern of misleading Dáil over deal

LABOUR leader Pat Rabbitte yesterday accused Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of deliberately misleading the Dáil over the controversial indemnity deal struck with the religious orders.

Forcefully repeating earlier allegations that Mr Ahern's numerous Dáil accounts of events leading up to the conclusion of the deal were inaccurate, Mr Rabbitte said the Taoiseach's many statements on the matter contradicted each other.

In particular, Mr Rabbitte focused on a February 12 Dáil statement by Mr Ahern that the then Attorney General Michael McDowell was involved at all stages of the negotiations an assertion subsequently contradicted by the report of the comptroller and auditor general and Mr McDowell himself.

"The Taoiseach has misled, and it would appear deliberately misled the house, on a number of occasions in matters dealing with the religious deal," said Mr Rabbitte.

Mr Ahern rejected the allegations saying deputy Rabbitte was picking individual sentences from his Dáil statements without taking account of the entire speech.

Meanwhile, the Conference of Religious of Ireland yesterday confirmed it is to examine ways to conduct an audit of church properties which will shed light on whether the 18 congregations can afford to pay more to the compensation deal.