Ahern Aide Casts More Doubt

Irish Voice News

Ahern Aide Casts More Doubt

March 26, 2008

By Paddy Clancy

TAOISEACH (prime minister) Bertie Ahern returned from his St. Patrick’s weekend visit to the U.S. to face a growing clamor for his resignation following evidence from a $134-a-week part-time former secretary that she processed controversial sterling lodgments on his behalf.

The revelation, which implied Ahern may have perjured himself when he gave earlier evidence, added more heat to the debate over his personal finances in the mid-‘90s when he was finance minister.

Lawyers claimed he believed particular sums lodged to accounts in his own name as well as those of his daughters Georgina and Cecilia were salary payments.

The Mahon tribunal probing allegations of corrupt links between well-placed politicians and construction industry leaders heard last week from Ahern’s former constituency secretary Grainne Carruth.

Initially, she told the tribunal that she made lodgments on behalf of Ahern in Irish punts, Ireland’s pre-euro currency. Next day, after being invited by tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon to consider sterling documents already shown to the inquiry, and to consult with her lawyer, she accepted that the transactions involved sterling.

Up to $31,000 worth of sterling was changed on Ahern’s behalf by Carruth in March and May, 1994. She said she always gave receipts to Ahern.

Carruth, who at one stage wept during her evidence, was asked why she did not get in touch with Ahern so that she could refresh her memory when she received documentation from the inquiry linking her to sterling transactions.

She replied, “Because I’m hurt — and I’m upset.”

Carruth’s evidence contradicted Ahern’s own sworn testimony in February when he said lodgments to his building society account were the proceeds of salary checks.

What has perhaps damaged his standing even more in the diminishing ranks of his supporters is how a lowly-paid secretary was left to face such a humiliating ordeal in the witness box without any apparent support from her former boss.

The fallout from Carruth’s evidence was swift and widespread. It reached as far as some junior government ministers.

John McGuinness, minister of state for trade and commerce and a member of Ahern’s Fianna Fail party, said he accepted that tribunal disclosures were having an effect on the party and were a cause of concern.

Several Fianna Fail TDs and senators (members of both the upper and lower houses of Parliament), while refraining from public critical public statements, privately admitted opinions that revelations about Ahern’s finances were “deeply damaging” and “worrying.”

Senator Dan Boyle, chairman of the Green Party which shares power in government, also expressed concern despite his party’s insistence that it will await the report of the Mahon tribunal before reaching conclusions.

He said Carruth’s evidence was “something that causes concern and something that will need to be further explained.”

Green councilor Niall Ó Brolcháin, an influential member of the party, was more blunt. He said it was his “long-held view” that Ahern should step down.

Ó Brolcháin added, “It’s quite clear that there are a lot of question marks about the way he has done his business in the past. I do not think it’s appropriate for a taoiseach over which there are so many question marks to stay in office.”

Within Fianna Fail, there were murmurings of disquiet over the tribunal evidence and Ahern’s explanations.

There was strong speculation that a growing number of backbenchers are considering whether to put pressure on Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) Brian Cowen to prepare to take over from Ahern earlier than a generally-anticipated date in 2010.

Many party faithful believe Ahern should go before next year’s local government elections. A gradually-growing number believe he should even quit after his U.S. address to both houses of Congress on April 30.

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