Opening statement:The Taoiseach told the tribunal false allegations against him and the leaking of tribunal documents were calculated to do him huge personal and political damage. Paul Cullenreports.
Before beginning his evidence yesterday, Bertie Ahern read out a lengthy statement rejecting the allegations and providing information, some of it new, on aspects of his finances which are under scrutiny by the tribunal.
"I have been involved in politics for over 30 years. I have never during that period before been offered any money from anyone in exchange for political or other favours or taken money for that purpose," he told tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon.
"I have endeavoured to serve the country to my utmost. I have no interest in personal gain or benefit and never had."
The Taoiseach said he totally and utterly rejected the allegations made by developer Tom Gilmartin that he got money from Owen O'Callaghan.
"Mr Gilmartin's allegations are not based on anything other than hearsay. He alleges he was told by Mr O'Callaghan that I received certain monies. On the basis of those false allegations I have been subject to an unprecedented attack on my integrity and honesty. Somebody is intent on doing me maximum damage," Mr Ahern told the tribunal as he enumerated "wholly false" allegations that he had bank accounts in Mauritius, Jersey and elsewhere.
While the tribunal is investigating the possibility that one lodgment linked to Mr Ahern represents a sum of $45,000, the Taoiseach emphatically rejected this.
"After 10 years of inquiries there is no evidence I did anything wrong or engaged in any corrupt practice. This is not surprising as I never took a bribe or abused the public trust in the discharge of my duties as a politician. After 10 years of inquiry by this tribunal, not one person has ever stated to this tribunal that I was paid a sum of $45,000 or any similar sum of US dollars. Not one bank official in AIB O'Connell Street recalls a $45,000 cash lodgement. There never was, so, a $45,000 lodgement."
Mr Ahern said his "banking expert", Paddy Strong, a former chief operating officer of Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking, had confirmed to him that the evidence did not substantiate a lodgement of $45,000.
He said the first time he was confronted with the dollar lodgement was last April, and he immediately recognised the destructive impact it could have on him and Fianna Fáil.
The leaking of information raised "an explosive suggestion" on the eve of the general election and he was forced to respond to the scenario.
Since April, further information had come to light which showed there was no $45,000 lodgement, he claimed, and the tribunal could only have reached this supposition by applying wrong and notional exchange rates and assuming AIB staff breached standard procedures.
"There is no mystery about this. This is what happened, the position is clear. No dollars were ever received by me, no dollars were lodged." The supposition was "a complete red herring".
Mr Ahern said the transactions being investigated by the tribunal took place at a time of particular personal turmoil and upset for him and at a time when he was attempting to discharge onerous public and party duties.
"The years of 1994 and 1995 were periods not only of great personal change but significant demands on my time and energy as I sought to rebuild a then deflated Fianna Fáil party after we left government in late 1994.
"My own personal affairs were subordinated to those of reorganising and re-energising the Fianna Fáil party. It is thus not surprising that I cannot be specific or precise in my recollection."
He was in the totally unenviable and unfair position of having to defend his honesty and integrity when there was no evidence to support Mr Gilmartin's allegations and when he was being criticised for being unable to provide precise details relating to payments long after the event. There was no evidence he did anything to benefit Mr O'Callaghan.
"That is so because it never happened. I did not accept a bribe. I did not do anything for Owen O'Callaghan. I have done nothing improper. I have done no wrong and wronged no one."