Ahern's explanations 'incredible', says Hogan

Fine Gael is vowing to keep up pressure on the Taoiseach regarding the large sums of money he received from wealthy friends and businessmen in the 1990s.

Yesterday, Bertie Ahern accused his critics of firing cheap shots against him and insisted that his marriage break-up explained the bizarre nature of his financial arrangements at the time.

However, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said it was wrong for a serving Government minister to receive large sums of cash for personal use, regardless of the circumstances.

Party spokesman Phil Hogan also said today that Mr Ahern's marriage break-up was concluded before the period currently under investigation and the Taoiseach is using it as a red herring to try to generate sympathy.

"The reality is that he has taken money which he shouldn't have taken, his story about explaining it away is incredible, he has changed it on a regular basis and all of the various excuses that he has come up with seem to be unravelling," Mr Hogan said.