Taoiseach handed boost ahead of Dáil high noon

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will face the long-awaited Dáil showdown over his Mahon Tribunal testimony in bullish form today after a dramatic 24 hours in which a couple of key events went his way.

Mr Ahern won an early concession in his High Court action against the tribunal when lawyers for the planning probe said they no longer wished to question him about statements he made in the Dáil about his financial affairs.

Mr Ahern had launched the legal action, which began yesterday, on three grounds — one of which was that the tribunal had no entitlement to question him about his Dáil statements, which enjoy constitutional protection.