This mud is set to stick

TWICE before, allegations have been made about the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and donations from wealthy businessman. And twice before they came to nothing.

While one-time luminaries from Fianna Fáil fell like skittles around him at the hands of tribunals, Mr Ahern lived up to his Teflon Taoiseach reputation. The allegations made by Cork businessman Dennis “Starry” O’Brien that he had handed over IR£50,000 to Mr Ahern in the early 1990s were proved to be bogus and groundless.

And while the Taoiseach took some stick about whether or not he had a “chit chat” meeting with Tom Gilmartin, the claims from the Luton-based builder ultimately came to nothing. Like the cheques he once signed for Charles J Haughey, all that was drawn were blanks.