‘We are still going to totally co-operate... it’s my duty’

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern insisted his High Court challenge to the Mahon Tribunal would not stop him testifying at its hearings next week.

“We are still going to totally co-operate,” he said, adding later, “I have always said it’s my duty to co-operate.”

Mr Ahern also claimed he had no choice but to take the challenge because it was necessary to defend the principle of Dáil privilege — the legal protection that applies to what is said in the Dáil.

“These are a few technical legal issues and my legal team advises that I have absolutely no alternative,” he said, adding that attempts to override Dáil privilege had always been challenged by politicians.

“The other two issues are related to professional advice that my legal team got independently and the tribunal are seeking that advice and the legal team say that is not the proper procedure.

“And the third point is where the tribunal have independent legal advice, financial advice, and they won’t give it to my people. Three technical issues — they don’t change my appearance at the tribunal.”

Mr Ahern said the independent legal advice sought by the tribunal related to the banking expert Paddy Stronge, who he engaged to provide him with advice on foreign exchange rates and methods of calculation. These issues are central to clarifying the sources of certain lodgments made to the Taoiseach’s bank account in 1994.

“I had a financial expert working for me, Mr Stronge, and the tribunal had an unnamed expert. The tribunal wanted my information and my people wanted their information and neither of us will give it.”

The Taoiseach denied he had anything to hide from the tribunal or that he had any reason not to elaborate on statements he made in the Dáil.

He stressed repeatedly he was forced into this course of action.

“I think my legal team would want to go far more but I have always said it’s my duty to co-operate.”