Driving licence:It was unclear last night whether Bertie Ahern held a full driving licence in January 1995, the month when Celia Larkin claimed at the planning tribunal yesterday that he had driven her to the bank to withdraw money.
A spokesman for the Taoiseach said he was unable to establish if Mr Ahern held a full driving licence at that time as he had not been in a position to ask Mr Ahern directly last night.
When the issue of the Taoiseach's driving licence was raised publicly in January 2003, a government spokesman told the Sunday Tribunethat the Taoiseach had a full licence "at one stage", but that it was no longer valid. The spokesman added that the Taoiseach had not driven in years and had established that Mr Ahern did not have a current licence.
Mr Ahern has had a State car for the last 21 years. He was first entitled to a car and driver when he was elected lord mayor of Dublin in 1986. In 1987, he was given his first cabinet position, a job which comes with a car and driver.
Even while he was out of ministerial office from 1995 to 1997, Mr Ahern, in his capacity as leader of Fianna Fáil, was provided with a car and driver.