Businessmen lend further support to Taoiseach

More businessmen today came forward to support an account by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on how he received cash at a Manchester function while Finance Minister in 1994.

Mr Ahern is due to deliver a clear-the-air statement to the Dáilat 4.15 this afternoon in a bid to bring an end to the scandal.

It emerged last week that deceased airline boss Tim Kilroe had organised an €11,800 (£8,000) collection in Manchester’s Four Seasons Hotel for Mr Ahern, which he lodged in his personal bank account.

A Manchester-based businessman who attended the event today said there were no political favours sought for the payment.

Matt Queenan said: “Tim wasn’t a man at all to bribe people and look for favours.”

Describing a conversation in the hotel’s toilet with Mr Kilroe, Mr Queenan quoted him as saying: “We have some members of parliament from Ireland over here and one of seems to be having a rough patch, probably women problems or something, and we’re having a collection.”

Last weekend Mr Ahern was forced to pay back loans he received from 12 friends in 1993-94 to help fund the separation from his wife.

Mr Kilroe’s widow Loretta today told RTE: “I think he’s absolutely a great Taoiseach. He has done wonders for Ireland.

“I’ll be glad when it’s all over and we get back to normal.”

Another businessman, Micheal Wall, originally from Cong in Co Mayo, said Mr Ahern was not aware that a collection for him was taking place until the money was presented to him.

He told RTÉ News that the money was a “goodwill gesture” and that there was no political element to the payment.

Leaked financial records in a newspaper on September 21 triggered an unprecedented leadership crisis for Mr Ahern.

Mr Ahern, in power since 1997, has admitted that the past week has been one of the most traumatic periods of his life.

Opposition leaders are furious that Government partners, the PDs seem to have tempered their disgust at Mr Ahern and cut a deal to stay in office.

Frantic efforts between Coalition parties continued today to agree the text for Mr Ahern’s speech.

The premier and his deputy Michael McDowell are due to meet again before today’s weekly Cabinet meeting to discuss the statement.

An anti-corruption demo led by the People Before Profit group is due to go ahead outside the gates of the Dáil.

Mr Ahern is due to deliver his statement in the Dáil at 4.15pm.