Ahern promised Healy-Rae €71m for Kerry roads

Bertie Ahern promised Jackie Healy-Rae about €71m in constituency-related road projects in return for his support when forming the 2007 government.

New details emerged last night of the deals which Mr Ahern struck with Independent TDs in return for their backing of the Fianna Fáil/Green/PD coalition.

Former government chief whip Tom Kitt, who did not negotiate the deals but was assigned responsibility for liaising with the TDs on their implementation, described elements of them as “unsavoury”.