THE MAHON tribunal made significant concessions to the Taoiseach on the first day of his High Court challenge to its inquiries yesterday, but Mr Ahern will be under renewed political pressure in the Dáil today as the Opposition parties seek an explanation for the sterling payments lodged to his building society account by Gráinne Carruth, write STEPHEN COLLINS, MARY CAROLANAND STEVEN CARROLL.
In the High Court yesterday, the tribunal accepted the Constitution prohibited it from questioning Mr Ahern about the veracity of statements made by him in the Dáil about his financial affairs. It indicated it would be questioning the Taoiseach primarily about statements made outside the Dáil.
The tribunal also agreed to hand over to Mr Ahern information sought by him about the basis for its conclusions about dollar and sterling lodgements to separate bank accounts of Mr Ahern and his former partner Celia Larkin.
The major outstanding issue for the court is the tribunal's attempt to access 150 documents drafted by banking expert Paddy Stronge on Mr Ahern's behalf. The Taoiseach is challenging an order requiring him to hand over the documents but his lawyers accepted yesterday that the tribunal was entitled to question Mr Stronge.
When the Dáil resumes today, the political focus will move to the attempt by the Opposition to get Mr Ahern to respond to questions raised by the evidence given to the tribunal about sterling payments made to his Irish Permanent account.
Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd said last night that party leader Enda Kenny would be holding the Taoiseach to account in the Dáil and demanding answers to important issues arising from Ms Carruth's evidence.
Government sources were insistent the Taoiseach had no intention of giving a wide-ranging response to the Opposition during Leaders' Questions today and would not be dealing with issues that were going to be the subject of hearings by the tribunal or the courts.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern revealed yesterday that he had spoken to the Taoiseach over the weekend and strongly advised against his making a statement on his personal finances in the Dáil today.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Mr Ahern said the tribunal was the place for any statement.
Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley said last night: "I have made it very clear that the Taoiseach ought to make a statement. That's now forthcoming and I have also said that the tribunal is the appropriate forum to conduct this business and the tribunal should be left to continue its work and carry out its work and come to a speedy conclusion."
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said it had become evident that the Taoiseach would snub demands from Mr Gormley and Minister for Health Mary Harney that he should make a statement dealing with the contradictions between his evidence to the Mahon tribunal and that of Ms Carruth and officials of the Irish Permanent Building Society.
"Responding to Leaders' Questions does not constitute a statement and cannot satisfy the call made last week from Ministers Gormley and Harney for the Taoiseach to make a statement clarifying the contradictions. If the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats accept this, their credibility will be even further diminished," said Mr Gilmore.