FG set to lodge ethics complaint against Ahern

FINE GAEL has moved closer to lodging a complaint with the State’s ethics watchdog about Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s tax affairs.

Party leader Enda Kenny met his frontbench in Leinster House yesterday to plan the next steps in their campaign to oust Mr Ahern.

Over Christmas, it emerged that the Revenue was investigating whether Mr Ahern owed tax from the 1990s.

That raised questions about the tax certificate clearance Mr Ahern obtained following the general election in 2002, for which he declared to Revenue that he was tax compliant.

There were calls for the Standards in Public Office Commission to investigate whether Mr Ahern broke ethics legislation by supplying the certificate, but the watchdog must first receive a complaint before it can initiate an inquiry.

Fine Gael has been deliberating since the start of the month on the merits of making such a complaint.

One concern the party had was that a complaint would backfire if the commission found Mr Ahern had no case to answer.

However, having debated the matter yesterday, it appears the party is closer to lodging a complaint.

A spokesman said: “On the Taoiseach’s finances and tax compliance issues, the frontbench is committed to pursuing the matter fully. Fine Gael will use all avenues open to it, in the Dáil and elsewhere, to get answers to outstanding questions.”

He would not categorically confirm the party would be making a complaint, only saying: “Fine Gael will be revisiting this matter later in the week.”

Mr Ahern returns from a trade mission in Africa at the end of the week, which would clear the way for Fine Gael to move.

Traditionally, opposition parties do not engage in political attacks while the head of government is abroad on State business.

Fine Gael broke with that tradition when Mr Kenny issued a lengthy statement attacking Mr Ahern on Saturday — an action that Fianna Fáil TD Mary O’Rourke labelled “treasonous” yesterday.

Fine Gael does not want to leave itself open to further attacks on this front, hence its refusal to announce its next move until “later in the week”.

In addition, it is understood the party is seekinglegal advice on the best way to formulate the complaint.

However, Fine Gael did yesterday publish the wording of a motion supporting the Mahon Tribunal which the party will table when the Dáil resumes at the end of the month.

The motion is being tabled because of what Fine Gael claims is a “sinister” campaign by Fianna Fáil ministers to question the integrity of the tribunal.

With the motion, Fine Gael is hoping to expose divisions between Fianna Fáil, which has publicly attacked the tribunal, and its coalition partners, the Greens and PDs, which have supported it.

Government chief whip Tom Kitt last night said that, in line with usual procedure, the coalition would “give the motion its consideration in due course and bring forward its own motion”.

The Government will then use its majority to ensure its own motion, rather than Fine Gael’s, is passed.