Bertie’s back, berated and besieged

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern was at the centre of a political storm yesterday as his and the Government’s credibility came under sustained attack over a stream of political controversies.

On the resumption of the Dáil, Mr Ahern was rounded on by the opposition over his Government’s handling of the compensation deal for child abuse victims and for his lack of action on learning in June that Fianna Fáil TD Michael Collins was a tax defaulter.

The Dáil’s return coincided with the publication of the annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General John Purcell, which was particularly scathing of the €128 million indemnity deal struck with the religious orders. The C&AG estimated the final cost of the Redress Board could be around €1 billion.