‘Tribunal has become the trial of Bertie Ahern’

THE Mahon Tribunal has turned into a trial of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, complete with a Kenneth Starr-style special prosecutor, Fianna Fáil TD Martin Mansergh claimed yesterday.

Following a Dáil debate on the tribunal, the Government passed by nine votes a motion affirming confidence in the inquiry, but raising concerns about its duration, cost and the leaking of documentation.

Launching a vigorous defence of Mr Ahern during the debate, Mr Mansergh said he wanted to see “no more good governments brought down by synthetic pseudo-ethical furores, like the passport nonsense”.