Ahern insists Manchester payment did not breach rules

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has insisted that he did nothing wrong in accepting £8,000 (€11,800) at a function in Manchester during the 1990s.

Mr Ahern revealed the payment earlier this week while trying to defuse the controversy surrounding the €50,000 he received separately from wealthy businessmen in 1993 and 1994.