Ahern tells Sky he never misled people and 'absolutely' is not a crook

TV interview:Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday that he has "never misled people" and that he has given records to the revenue authorities and the tribunals.

During an interview with Sky News Mr Ahern was asked if he was saying that he was not "a crook" and had never received any improper payments from which he had gained financially.

"Absolutely," he answered. "Anything I ever gained or anything that I ever benefited, which was never much, was always done in proper circumstances. And I've never been involved in anything improper, at any time in a long political career."

He added: "I've never misled people either. Any of my records are there. I've actually given all these to two different tribunals over the last number of years. I've given them to revenue authorities. So I've no difficulty.

"A lot of these issues were meant to be confidential, but I'm afraid we have a different definition of that word nowadays. What's given confidentially is likely to be in the newspaper next Sunday. I've no difficulty giving any of these details or explaining any of these details."

Mr Ahern also insisted that "because of policy differences" Fianna Fáil would not go into government with Sinn Féin. "That's not going to happen. Whatever about some distant future time, what might happen in the political context in the South, it's not going to happen at this stage."

On the North, Mr Ahern said that recent progress had been "extraordinary". However, he said that a united Ireland was not a short-term aim and that "no-one is in to trying to force anyone anywhere".

"I do hope at some future date that the people of Northern Ireland would see that working in an all-island context would be a good thing. But it's not going to happen in the short term. It's not even helpful to push that in the short term because it's not going to happen.

"I think in the short term and medium term what's going to happen is that the people in Northern Ireland can comfortably live with each other, that they engage on economic and social issues. That they work for the development of Northern Ireland" and closely with people in southern Ireland.