Developer’s defeat means Ahern looks set to testify

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern is facing a fraught canvass as he is likely to have to testify before the General Election at the Mahon Planning Tribunal into payment allegations.

A central allegation is that Mr Ahern — while Minister for Finance — received payments to block a tax break for a shopping development in west Dublin in the early 1990s.

His appearance before the tribunal was made possible by the Supreme Court yesterday rejecting developer Owen O’Callaghan’s bid to stop the tribunal’s latest probe.