LISTEN: Bertie Ahern 'not responsible' for banking issues; received noose in post

By Denise O’Donoghue

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has today stated that as the former head of Government he takes full responsibility for any decisions made by his Government, but denied that he had any responsibility for the failings of the Central Bank or the Financial Regulator, as they are independent bodies.

“No, unfortunately I have no responsibility for the Central Bank,” he told Miriam O'Callaghan on RTÉ Radio 1 this morning. “The Central Bank and Regulator are entirely independent from the political system.

“It is the Government’s job to look after the fiscal responsibilities, Government do not tell banks who to give money to,” he said.

He added he did not know developers' private banking details, and nor did anyone else in Government.

“The Taoiseach of the day, neither me, nor Brian Cowen after me or Enda Kenny now, has any idea of what individuals in this country or their corporate companies owe.

“We were totally detached,” he said.

Ahern accepted that the level of taxation directly related to construction as "too high" and this, combined with the banks having "given out borrowing for which they had no capital", led to the crash.

Mr Ahern also revealed that after he left office he received “vicious” hate mail and threatening phone calls - which he reported to gardaí.

“I got some horrendous mail and threatening calls, but gardaí got the bottom of it," he said.

“One individual sent me a rope with a noose, which wasn’t too nice.”