Ahern for Mahon tribunal in September

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to appear before the Mahon tribunal again in September, it has been confirmed.

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to appear before the Mahon tribunal again in September, it has been confirmed.

The tribunal has listed Monday September 15th and Tuesday September 16th as dates on which Mr Ahern will give evidence.

Mr Ahern gave evidence last month in relation to the fit-out in the 1990s of a house in Drumcondra that he was renting from businessman Michael Wall.

Mr Ahern spent almost £34,000 on the house he was about to rent and without having any agreement covering the return of his expenditure, the tribunal heard.

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He said he withdrew £50,000 from his accounts to provide for expenditure on furnishings for the house and gave this money to his then partner Celia Larkin. He said he did not see the inside of the house until after it had been renovated.

The house on Beresford Avenue was bought for £138,000 by Mr Wall in early 1995.

The tribunal has also recently heard from Cork-based developer Owen O’Callaghan, who denied he paid Mr Ahern £50,000 in 1989. The said the allegation was "absolute and total rubbish". Mr Ahern has also denied the allegation.

There are just four more witnesses listed as yet to give evidence to the Mahon tribunal after Mr Ahern’s appearance. They are Sandra Cullagh, Mr Ahern’s constituency secretary; Hazel Lawlor, wife of the late TD Liam Lawlor; Niall Lawlor and former taoiseach Albert Reynolds.