Ahern questioned over £30k Larkin loan

FORMER Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has defended telling the Mahon Tribunal earlier this year that he was unaware when his former partner, Celia Larkin, repaid a £30,000 loan to Fianna Fáil, even though he was in direct contact with her on the issue.

In his third consecutive day of evidence at Dublin Castle yesterday, Mr Ahern was also forced to reject accusations that he had created bogus documents over his use of a constituency office at St Luke’s in Drumcondra.

Mr Ahern was challenged over his appearance before the planning inquiry last February when he gave sworn evidence that party officials had told him that Ms Larkin had repaid the money to the party’s Dublin central constituency organisation.