Ahern amazed by generosity of friends, publican recalls
Mr Ahern was “absolutely amazed” at the kindness of his four pub pals when he called into Mr Carew’s Beaumont House one midweek night in September 1994 and was presented with the money. Refusing at first, Mr Ahern agreed to accept the cash on condition he repaid “when he had his affairs sorted out”.
This was the second so called goodwill loan from friends for Mr Ahern inside a year. In late 1993, Fianna Fáil fundraiser Des Richardson had helped raise £22,500 for Mr Ahern.
Led by Mr Carew, the second dig-out was intended to help the then finance minister buy a house. He had moved out of the family home after his marital separation in January 1987 — seven years previously.
“I would have been conscious of the fact that Bertie Ahern was living with Joe Burke’s family and in his constituency office as he had no home of his own,” Mr Carew told the tribunal in a statement.
“I remember being in the company of mutual friends of mine and Bertie Ahern. One of the gathering commented that it was sad that he was living in the little flat over St Luke’s [constituency office]. The fact that Bertie Ahern had no home of his own was felt by his friends to be damaging to him personally and in his career,” said Mr Carew.
Mr Carew said he volunteered to collect the money. Joe Burke and Paddy Reilly each gave £3,500, Barry English gave £5,000 and he himself decided to give £4,500.
“All of the sums I collected were in cash at my request. I felt that if I was to try to and give Mr Ahern a cheque I would not have been able to prevail upon him to cash it,” Mr Carew explained.
There was no discussion whether the dig-out was to be a gift or a loan or how much each would contribute, witness insisted.
Asked to explain why the first two donors gave exactly the same amount as they had come into the pub subsequently on separate occasions, Mr Carew told tribunal lawyer Des O’Neill this was “pure coincidence”.
When Mr English arrived at the pub about a week later and said he was giving £5,000, Mr Carew said he marked his name and that amount on the envelope and put it in his safe. He did not count it, or give a receipt.
Asked why, he replied: “Are you joking me? This is a pal of mine.”
Apart from knowing Mr Ahern had some money for a house, Mr Carew said he was unaware of his other savings.
These included £50,000 cash, nearly £20,000 in a building society, and the £22,500 raised in the first “goodwill loan” organised by Des Richardson in late 1993.
On a “good few” occasions Mr Ahern offered to repay the money to Mr Carew. “Every time he brought it up I just put it off. I didn’t want it,” said Mr Carew.
Former builder and plasterer Paddy Reilly said that while Mr Ahern had told him he had some money saved to buy a house he had not known Mr Ahern then had £50,000 savings.
TODAY marks the 800th sitting day of the Mahon Tribunal — established 10 years ago to probe political corruption relating to the planning process.
Due to wind up its hearings next year, the marathon inquiry is estimated to cost the State at least €300 million.
Lobbyist Frank Dunlop, who has been under medical care for a heart condition, is expected to resume his evidence next week after a six-week absence.
Tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon said he should resume his evidence on Monday. Earlier this week, chairman Judge Alan Mahon expressed concern at the Mater Hospital’s delay in giving a medical report on Mr Dunlop on hearing his consultant neurologist had been waiting a week to get images of an MRI scan. Mr Dunlop’s consultant wanted to see the result of the scan carried out on December 3 before he declared him fit to give evidence.
Judge Mahon said Mr Dunlop’s absence was becoming a practical problem in terms of delay and cost and hearings were being abandoned on a regular basis.
The lobbyist alleges bribing a number of councillors to vote for the Quarryvale development in west Dublin in the early 1990s.
The councillors deny the claim, arguing any money they may have received from Mr Dunlop were political contributions.
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