Ahern’s legal team gave notice of possible injunction in December

SEVERAL times before yesterday, the Taoiseach stressed his intention to co-operate with the tribunal. As recently as January 28, he told reporters: “It’s my job to co-operate with them and I’ll do that.”

But Mr Ahern’s legal team had given notice a month previously that it might seek an injunction against the tribunal.

On December 5, Mr Ahern’s legal team wrote a letter of complaint about “hypotheses” being put to the Taoiseach by tribunal lawyer Des O’Neill without prior notice.