The Taoiseach has a great appetite for presiding at official openings, but mingling with the rich and famous can have its drawbacks, writes Stephen Collins, Political Correspondent
The Taoiseach's fondness for presiding at official openings, and for mingling with the rich and famous, has led him into some strange encounters over the past few months. Last week he was the host in the now famed Fianna Fáil tent at the Galway races and among the honoured guests was one of the biggest tax cheats in the history of the state, the builder Michael Bailey.
A recent list of tax defaulters published by the Revenue Commissioners revealed that the company owned by Mr Bailey and his brother Tom had made the highest ever tax settlement. The brothers' company, Bovale Developments, headed the list of the country's top 150 defaulters.
The record settlement by Bovale came to €22.17 million, made up of €12.5 million in tax owed and interest and penalties of almost €9.7 million. The case arose from investigations carried out by the Flood tribunal. In 2002, the tribunal found that the Bailey brothers had obstructed its work by giving a false account of meetings with a key witness.
Michael Bailey was one of the 520 guests who turned up in the Fianna Fáil tent in Galway last week, paying €400 a head for the pleasure of socialising in the company of the Taoiseach and a few of his Ministers.
The Taoiseach also rubbed shoulders at the races with another of the country's richest men, Michael Smurfit. Last month Mr Ahern undertook the highly unusual assignment for a head of Government of opening Mr Smurfit's new private residence at the K Club in Co Kildare.
Back in June Mr Ahern actually pulled out of one of his scheduled openings for another of the country's business elite. The Taoiseach was due to open the newly built Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny, owned by the prominent businessman Xavier McAuliffe.
However, when Mr Ahern was informed there was an ongoing court action over walls and flagpoles at the entrance to the grounds of the hotel, which were built without planning permission, he pulled out of the opening at the last minute. Mr McAuliffe subsequently accused the Taoiseach of lacking "balls" for his 11th-hour decision.
Mr Ahern has undertaken an incessant round of constituency tours since he became leader of Fianna Fáil in 1994, and has presided at thousands of openings, ranging from State offices and schools to supermarkets and shops.
Last month Mr Ahern himself pointed out that he had opened so many places he was reduced to reopening them. Finding himself on Dublin's North Great Georges Street, once more performing the official reopening of the James Joyce Centre, he remarked: "One more time, and, hopefully, the last time."