Ahern to face further grilling

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern is unlikely to face further questions into his personal finances at the Mahon Tribunal until February at the earliest.

In a follow-up to his previous five appearances at the tribunal in recent months, the Taoiseach is expected to be called to give evidence for another two to three days early in the New Year.

However, Government sources yesterday said it was unlikely the Taoiseach would appear before the tribunal in January.

On the last day of his evidence on December 21 a £5,000 lodgment was mentioned late in the proceedings by tribunal counsel Des O’Neill. Mr Ahern’s legal team subsequently demanded extra time to study documents regarding the deposit into an Irish Permanent account opened on January 31, 1994.

The money came from a cheque and half the amount was withdrawn in cash the same day.

The lodgment is expected to be the focus of much attention when the Taoiseach appears again before the tribunal.

It is anticipated that the tribunal will probe if there is a link between the lodgment and the activities of Fianna Fáil fundraiser Des Richardson in the early 1990s.

The lodgment of £5,000 emerged during Mr O’Neill’s questioning of Mr Ahern about a separate payment from NCB which formed part of a “dig out” that the Taoiseach said happened in December 1993.