Opposition insist payments were gifts

EMBATTLED Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was last night compared to his disgraced predecessor Charles Haughey by opposition leaders as they savaged his acceptance of €50,000 from friends.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny warned Mr Ahern faced a “grave and serious” situation as he demanded a probe by the Revenue Commissioners into the affair.

“When he was minister for finance he took personal cash donations from business people at a time when he was laying out the standards that people should not be compromised by being beholden to business people.