Dermot Ahern backs Government to survive payments row

Embattled Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s Government should survive the controversy over payments he received 13 years ago, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern insisted today.

Mr Ahern, who was visiting Stormont for a round of talks with the North's Assembly parties, said it would be a shame to throw away nine and a half years of good government on the basis of concerns about the payments to the Taoiseach when he was Minister for Finance.