Ahern urged to ‘come clean’ on tax status

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern was urged by opposition parties to “come clean” last night on whether he has given standards watchdogs proof of his tax status.

The Taoiseach’s office insists Mr Ahern’s dealings with the Standards in Public Office Commission are confidential and refuses to say whether a tax clearance certificate has been handed over to the ethics body yet.

However, Fine Gael and Labour branded that a “cop- out” and insisted the Taoiseach must set an example for the Dáil in transparency.