Ahern paid back €90k to ‘dig-out’ donors

EIGHT days after last year’s story hit the headlines that close friends had given him a financial “dig-out” in 1993, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern repaid a total of €90,867, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.

A number of those who received Mr Ahern’s personal cheques — 13 years after they gave their original payments — decided among themselves to hand them over to charity. In the event, eight cheques were endorsed by the recipients and sent on to the Fianna Fáil base in Drumcondra.

Children’s charity CARI — of which Miriam Ahern, separated wife of the Taoiseach, is patron and a long-time fundraiser — received the proceeds of these eight cheques, totalling €67,210.