Mahon Tribunal hears $45,000 sum was ‘hypothetical’

A bank official has told the Mahon Tribunal that he has not seen any documentation that showed a lodgement of $45,000 was made into Celia Larkin's account on behalf of the Taoiseach in the 1990s.

AIB official John Garrett is continuing his evidence on foreign exchange transitions at the O'Connell St branch in 1994.

He has admitted that the dollar sum was a hypothetical amount put forward by counsel for the Tribunal.

Yesterday, the Tribunal heard that the Taoiseach's explanation of cash lodgements made in the 1990s does not tally with bank records.

John Garrett is giving evidence about several payments, including one lodgement in December 1994, which equates exactly to the sum of $45,000.

But Bertie Ahern had said it was a lodgement of sterling and some Irish pounds, of approximately £30,000.

Mr Garrett said this afternoon he'd seen no documentation which said a lodgement of forty-five thousand dollars had been made.

He admitted that the sum was hypothetical and that it fits in with the theory being argued by counsel for the Tribunal.