Ahern faces more days of questions

Next appearance:The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, will have to return to give further evidence to the Mahon tribunal, possibly as early as next Monday.

Mr Ahern gave evidence for a third day yesterday at the end of which tribunal counsel Des O'Neill SC was still conducting his examination.

The Taoiseach was initially scheduled to give his evidence over two days, an amount of time that has proved insufficient.

Mr Ahern has yet to be asked direct questions about three of the four cash lodgements that are the focus of the current sittings.

The bulk of Mr O'Neill's questioning to date has focused on responses to requests for information to him from the tribunal, since the tribunal first contacted him in November 2004.

Earlier this year the tribunal signalled its intention to conduct public hearings into aspects of Mr Ahern's finances during the period 1993 to 1995, as well as matters connected with his renting, and subsequently purchasing, the house where he now lives in Drumcondra, Dublin.

Mr Ahern purchased the house from Manchester-based Michael Wall in 1997, having rented it since 1995.

The current sittings are concerned with four substantial lodgements that were all preceded by foreign exchange transactions. Mr Ahern is likely to have to give evidence for several more days, given the pace at which questioning has progressed to date.

He will also have to return to the witness box, probably some time next year, to deal with other substantial matters connected with his finances.