McDowell wants Ahern statement before polling day

BERTIE AHERN cannot credibly seek re-election as Taoiseach unless he answers in full the questions surrounding his personal finances, Tánaiste Michael McDowell said yesterday.

At a hastily-arranged press conference at 10.30am in Dublin’s Morrison Hotel, the PD leader sparked a day of political drama by suggesting Mr Ahern had misled him last autumn when accounting for the so-called Bertiegate controversy.

“From a number of sources I’ve come into the possession of information which would suggest that the account given to me last autumn was incomplete and misleading,” Mr McDowell told reporters.

“It now appears that the tribunal has been given a radically different account of the transactions which were the subject of public controversy last autumn from that which was given to me by the Taoiseach then.”

He refused to state whether he had confidence in Mr Ahern. “It’s for the Irish people to judge these matters … My view on this matter is irrelevant.”

Much of Mr McDowell’s unease centres on the transactions surrounding the Taoiseach’s house in Drumcondra, which Mr Ahern purchased from Michael Wall.

Mr McDowell would not detail the precise nature of the information which led him to believe he was misled.

However, he said Mr Ahern had led him to believe the purchase was “an arm’s length transaction on commercial terms for full value, and there is reason now to question whether that could possibly be so”.

Despite believing that Mr Ahern misled him, Mr McDowell and his party are staying in government.

He said no useful purpose would be served in handing over the justice and health portfolios, held by himself and Mary Harney, respectively, to caretaker ministers who would be “very unfamiliar” with the issues.

Nonetheless, Mr McDowell insisted that the Taoiseach would now have to explain to the electorate, in full, the issues surrounding his personal finances.

“Failure by the Taoiseach to account in a comprehensive and credible way ... for these matters would make it impossible for him credibly to seek the endorsement of Dáil Éireann for a further term as Taoiseach,” Mr McDowell said.

Up to Saturday evening, it had been expected that the PDs would convene yesterday to announce they were pulling out of government.

But it was known within PD circles by Saturday night that a final decision had been taken to stay put, according to a reliable source.

Mr McDowell said that decision was based on “the overwhelming views” of his party colleagues.

He also confirmed that one of his sources for the information which prompted yesterday’s statement was a Sunday Independent journalist, who provided Mr McDowell’s special adviser, Cormac Lucey, with documentation believed to be full or partial transcripts of Mr Ahern’s recent evidence to the tribunal.

Mr McDowell said he had been briefed on the contents of the documentation but had not read it himself.

Asked whether Mr Ahern should consider sacking him, given that the two men are now clearly at odds, Mr McDowell responded: “Address that question to the Taoiseach. I don’t see any reason why I should be sacked. I am standing up for and vindicating good standards in Irish public life.”

Mr McDowell said he and Ms Harney would continue to discharge their ministerial functions and attend Cabinet meetings. He expected to meet Mr Ahern later this week.

Mr McDowell insisted a Fianna Fáil-PD coalition after the next election was still possible.

“I can see perfectly that happening if a credible and comprehensive account is given to the Irish people which is accepted by them, and between now and May 24 is the time for that account to be given.”