Biggest gamble? Convincing the tribunal of memory lapses

A LETTER that arrived from Irish Life & Permanent in the Mahon Tribunal on March 5 was to prove pivotal in the inquiry’s investigation of Bertie Ahern’s finances and one that probably ultimately brought a premature end to his long tenure as taoiseach.

For several years since the inquiry first began to investigate Mr Ahern’s bank accounts, the former Fianna Fáil leader had consistently maintained that he had never made any sterling lodgments to his accounts.

Up to last March, the tribunal had been unable to challenge Mr Ahern’s evidence as no records of his account in the then Irish Permanent building society in Drumcondra were traceable. Mr Ahern had always insisted that the lodgments under the scrutiny of the tribunal were merely lodgments from one or more cheques for his salary and expenses.