Articles Tagged With Bertiegate
Section: Politico - Tonight with #VinB | Date: 2012-03-26 20:33:09
On this evening's Tonight with Vincent Browne, guests Justine McCarthy, Timmy Dooley, Conor McCabe and Liam Twomey consider the damage caused to the Fianna Fáil party by the findings of the Mahon tribunal, published last week. Below, Vincent Browne outlines his thoughts ahead of the programme.
How it is that one person, Bertie Ahern - against whom very damaging findings have been made by a tribunal - is shamed and how it is that another person, Denis O’Brien, against whom very damaging findings have been made by a tribunal, seems to be almost honoured by the leaders of the State?
Section: Politico - Tonight with #VinB | Date: 2012-03-23 00:58:24
Below, Vincent Browne responds to some of the tweets and comments that came through during tonight's show on the Mahon Tribunal.
Section: Politico - Politics | Date: 2012-03-22 21:38:57
Below, Bertie Ahern's statement on the Mahon Report, released this evening.
I note the publication today of the Mahon Tribunal Final Report which are not the findings of a court of law.
At the outset, I want to make clear that I have had the great honour and privilege to serve as an elected politician for over 30 years.
I have dedicated my life to politics and serving the interest of the Irish people in politics. I have never accepted a bribe or a corrupt payment.
The Tribunal into Certain Planning Matters was established to inquire into allegations of planning corruption in Dublin.
After spending over a decade of inquiries and countless millions of euros, the Tribunal has not made - nor could it make - a finding to support the scurrilous and untrue allegation that I had been given a corrupt payment by Mr Owen O'Callaghan (the Cork based developer of Quarryvale) or any of his companies.
Section: Politico - Politics | Date: 2012-03-22 11:05:18
In its final report published today, the Mahon Tribunal found that Padraig Flynn "wongly and corruptly" cashed a £50,000 cheque for his personal use. The cheque, paid by developer Tom Gilmartin, was intended for the Fianna Fail parliamentary party and issued "on the understanding that steps would be taken by Mr Flynn to ease or remove obstacles and difficulties then being faced by Mr Gilmartin in relation to Quarryvale". The Tribunal also found that former TD and councillor Liam Lawlor corruptly accepted £75,000 in relation to a development at Bachelor's Walk in Dublin. Th Tribunal did not rejected evidence given by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's in relation to the source of substantial funds he received in the 1990s, claiming it to be untrue. The Tribunal concluded that one bank account, claimed by Ahern to be for political purposes, was used for "personal benefit".
Below, Malachy Browne will be summarising the key findings of the report with context, archive content and relevant audio visuals. Read reaction to the report here.
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2008-04-03 13:50:39
Bertie Ahern indeed has done some service to his country and done some service to Fianna Fail. His departure now was not the least of that service.
By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2008-04-02 20:25:59
Click on the Bertiegate tag at the end of the article for more on Bertie's Money.
"I have been privileged to serve my community, my party and our country for many years in public life. In that period, I am proud to have made a contribution to an unrivalled era of peace, prosperity and progress on this island.
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2008-03-27 14:49:38
Evidence that Bertie Ahern received sums of money far exceeding his official salary in 1994 is now incontrovertible. No credible explanation has been offered for this, although his close associates, current and former, have stood loyally by him
By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2008-02-29 17:12:41
On Friday, 23 February last the chairman of the Planning Tribunal, Judge Alan Mahon, explained why the Tribunal was enquiring into Bertie Ahern's financial records.
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2008-02-29 17:10:15
The contest to succeed Bertie Ahern is under way in Fianna Fáil and although Brian Cowen is by far the leading contender, he is not alone and “events” could derail what seems an effortless succession. By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2008-02-29 16:59:59
Bertie Ahern faces political disgrace, a fate he doesn't deserve given his achievements on the economy and on Northern Ireland. But his explanations for the huge lodgements to his bank accounts are now not credible. And the discovery of building society accounts suggest not just that he got large sums of money from unknown sources but also that monies were diverted from the Fianna Fail coffers.
By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2007-12-19 01:01:01
On 26 September 2006 Bertie Ahern gave an emotional interview to RTE's Brian Dobson. An analysis now of the interview reveals several untruths.
By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2007-11-29 15:45:52
Bertie's banker, Philip Murphy, gave evidence to the Planning Tribunal in November. The evidence revealed even more curious aspects to the Taoiseach's financial affairs, including evidence that Bertie Ahern handed over to his banker IR£72,500 in cash from December 1993 to August 1994
By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - People | Date: 2007-11-29 15:26:32
Bertie's closest ally (probably one of the few people – the only person – in whom he can confide), Des Richardson has had a torrid time at the Planning Tribunal. Forensically examined by Tribunal counsel, Des O'Neill, he has stumbled over Bertie's first “dig out” (£22,500) on 26 December 1993 (this supposedly was to pay off Bertie's legal fees but he (Bertie) had done that already) and then the admission that he received dollars from a UK businessman, Norman Turner, who had an interest in opening a casino here in 1994. Des Richardson struggled for years with the enormous debts run up by Fianna Fáil by 1993 when he was appointed fundraiser. His genial demeanour and adroitness plus his contacts in the business area helped rescue the party financially. But he has dug holes in his evidence which Bertie still struggle to fill in when he comes to give evidence, maybe on 20 and 21 December or more likely in January
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2007-10-26 15:29:43
Once the Opposition, the public and Fianna Fáil (in that order) begin to appreciate the seriousness of the revelations concerning Bertie Ahern's finances, there will be a political convulsion By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Forum | Date: 2007-10-08 10:34:37
There is something rotten in the state of Ireland. And where it is easy to associate the sinister activity of misremembering ones financial affairs with that fallen Danish king the rotten core is far more apparent than our leader's blustering fallaciousness. We, the Irish citizens, have lost our way.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2007-10-05 11:06:41
The finances crisis from Bertie Ahern now threatens to destroy his career, even though this is not yet publicly appreciated. For evidence is emerging that he got far more money when he was Minister for Finance than so far has been disclosed unravels Bertie Ahern's yarn-spinning. By Vincent Browne
Section: Special Features - Election 2007 | Date: 2007-06-15 00:00:00
For Bertie Ahern the election was a triumph. It seemed at the beginning of the campaign he might lose and lose in disgrace because of the revelations about his finances. He seemed almost a forlorn figure at the Palace of Westminster nine days before the election as he was feted by British Parliamentarians while seeming rejected by his electorate. That turned around in part because the media and public were befuddled by the information he put into the public domain about his finances, in part by a residual affection for him and in part because he showed himself so much more competent than his opposite number in the leaders' TV debate.Section: Special Features - Election 2007 | Date: 2007-06-05 00:12:07
There remains a suspicion that the discussions with Fianna Fail and the Greens is a smokescreen. The areas of disagreement seem too great for there to be any prospect of agreement (for instance, co-location of private and public hospitals and the use of Shannon by US troops). But more critically, it is unlikely Fianna Fail will agree to be dependent on a party which is controlled by its volatile (from the Fianna Fail perspective) membership.
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2007-05-16 15:03:57
While Bertie Ahern's statement on the Beresford house transactions appeared to answer several of the questions that had arisen, an analysis of the private interview he gave to the Planning tribunal lawyers deepens his problems. By Vincent BrowneSection: Archive - Forum | Date: 2007-05-09 16:11:42
As an exercise in representative government the current General Election campaign is a shambles. Instead of a debate about the future direction of government we have the second round of a controversy that should never have had a first round. If Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had any questions to answer about his personal financial arrangements fifteen years ago, the place for him to do so was and is before the Mahon Tribunal. Instead we have a distracting witchhunt against a politician with a long, well regarded record of service to the state.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2007-05-03 11:41:20
In the Dáil on 27 September 2006, Bertie said: “I was involved in [marriage] separation proceedings at the beginning of 1987 and they did not conclude until the end of 1993 in the High Court. Over that period my wife and I had joint [bank] accounts in our names. For obvious reasons, I did not use our joint account. I used cheques separately to deal with issues, and I did not open an account in my own name until afterwards.”
In the course of this period he “saved” £50,000 which, he told Village in March 2007, he retained in a safe in his office at St Luke's, Drumcondra.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2007-05-03 11:38:19
Village outlines a list of questions that Bertie has yet to answer.
Watch the vigourous exchange between Vincent Browne and Bertie Ahern at the Fianna Fail press conference this morning
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6tQN6H_tVY]
Listen to the exchange here:
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2007-05-03 11:36:20
Last autumn Bertie Ahern purported to reveal all about his personal finances. But new information about extraordinary transactions raises further questions about his money and has caused a crisis for the Fianna Fáil election campaign. But the real corruption in Irish politics is the scale of continuing poverty, the huge waste of public funds and the neglect of important social issues.
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2007-04-05 00:00:00
Exclusive interview with the Taoiseach by Katie Hannon
What Bertie's peers really think of him
Plus commentary by Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2006-12-14 00:00:00
It was obvious throughout the period when he was Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil that Charles Haughey could not possibly have financed his lifestyle from his official salary. And yet the media and the political establishment did not want to know. By Vincent Browne
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-10-12 00:00:00
Celia Larkin, whose bank account details have been sought by the Mahon tribunal, was among the first people to view the house after it was put on sale through auctioneers Sherry Fitzgerald in late 1994. Informed property sources have confirmed that Sherry FitzGerald handled the sale in 1995.
By Frank Connolly
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-10-12 00:00:00
The glittering four-star hotel, located beside the motorway and just three miles from Manchester Airport, metamorphosed from the carcass of a old farm yard barn under the Midas wand of Roscommon-native Tim Kilroe. The Cheshire-based construction millionaire, who was the organiser of the private dinner for Bertie Ahern in October 1994, had converted the barn into a restaurant in 1977 and subsequently extended it into a 154-bedroom hotel. Five years after that fateful dinner, he sold it to the global Marriott group at a handsome profit.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-10-12 00:00:00
A timeline of Bertiegate from September 2006 when details of the enquiry into Bertie's finances were first reported in the press.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-10-12 00:00:00
Bertie Ahern was close to the promoters of a Phoenix park casino project in the 1990s but his eventual opposition ‘killed' the venture. By Frank Connolly and Justine McCarthy
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-10-05 00:00:00
Analysis of Bertie Ahern's contributions to Dáil exchanges on Tuesday 3 October about donations made to him while he was Minister for Finance. By Vincent Browne.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-09-28 00:00:00
Bertie Ahern has done this country some service. He was crucial to the national wage agreements that have underpinned the country's economic success since 1987. He has been crucial to the dramatic progress there has been in the Northern Ireland peace process since he became Taoiseach in 1997. He did the country and himself proud as president of the European Council when Ireland had the EU presidency. He has been a highly competent Taoiseach; he deserves a lot of the credit for the economic success Ireland has enjoyed, aside from his part in the wages negotiations: he has adroitly led a coalition partnership which others might have found fraught.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-09-28 00:00:00
Bertie Ahern made several trips to Manchester in the early 1990s that were paid for by millionaire businessmen lobbying the government for the development of a casino at the former Phoenix Park racecourse. Ahern was Minister for Finance at the time. By Frank Connolly
Section: Archive - Media | Date: 2006-09-28 00:00:00
The story about payments to Bertie Ahern – dubbed "Bertiegate" by the Independent – dominated the newspapers after 21 September, when the Irish Times first reported the leaked information. In the following five days, every lead article of every Irish broadsheet focused on Bertiegate. It was the subject of 45 news stories, 26 opinion pieces and 9 editorial comments.
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-09-27 00:00:00
Guidelines state the then Taoiseach should have been consulted about the payment. By Frank Connolly
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-09-27 00:00:00
As minister for finance, Bertie Ahern skirted controversy and was often a difficult man to get hold of. By Justine McCarthy
Section: Archive - Tribunals | Date: 2006-09-27 00:00:00
The Mahon tribunal has been investigating since 1998 claims by Tom Gilmartin that a developer made two payments to Bertie Ahern. By Frank Connolly
Section: Archive - Politics | Date: 2006-09-21 00:00:00
Bertie Ahern has questions to answer about his dealings with Owen O'Callaghan in 1993 and 1994. It seems that guarantees were given to Owen O'Callaghan, who was then about to commence the development of Liffey Valley/Quarryvale (pictured) that another potentially competing development at Blanchardstown would not be afforded tax designation status. Had that happened, the viability of the Liffey Valley/Quarryvale project would have been in doubt. There is a suggestion that Bertie Ahern personally gave this assurance to Owen O'Callaghan.
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