Larkin’s £30,000 house loan only repaid ‘since Christmas’

BERTIE AHERN’S former partner Celia Larkin was given an unsecured £30,000 loan by Fianna Fáil 15 years ago — but it was only repaid “in the period since Christmas”, the Mahon Tribunal learned yesterday.

The tribunal heard the money was used by Ms Larkin to help buy a house which two of her elderly aunts and another lady had rented for most of their lives that was being put on the market.

Ms Larkin remains the legal owner of the property. At the time of the deal she was the Taoiseach’s “life partner”.