Forgery victim kept quiet for ‘good of the party’

A LOCAL election candidate who lost out to a party colleague who forged a letter containing Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s signature said yesterday he kept quiet about it “for the good of the party”.

Fianna Fáil’s Pat Rath knew of the forged endorsement of his running mate, former Junior Minister Lorcan Allen, two days before the electorate voted.

Mr Rath said yesterday he contacted Fianna Fáil headquarters on June 9 to be told a suspect letter purporting to be from the Taoiseach and circulated by the former Junior Minister, Lorcan Allen, was a forgery.