The Taoiseach's response to the disclosure in this newspaper that he had received monies from businessmen to pay his personal bills while he was minister for finance was, at best, disingenuous. He immediately set out to characterise the payments he had received from business supporters as "an old story about 1999 allegations". It was no such thing. The payments referred to were made in or around December, 1993, by three or four businessmen, and their existence was not previously known.
In this instance, the amount of money involved is believed to have totalled between €50,000 and €100,000, a very large sum in those days. Mr Ahern contests these figures and says "they are off the wall". He did not offer an alternative amount. The central questions arising are not, as the Taoiseach is trying to suggest, the source of the information or the accuracy of the amounts disclosed. The primary concern is the public interest in the propriety of his receipt of monies from businessmen in his pecuniary interest. It is not, as the Taoiseach said, "none of your business".
His response is lamentable when his own remarks concerning the receipt of monies are recalled. "Public representatives must not be under a personal financial obligation to anyone," he told the Dáil on September 10th, 1997 during the debate on the Report of the McCracken Tribunal. Mr Justice McCracken himself said: "It is quite unacceptable that a member of Dáil Eireann and in particular a Cabinet Minister and Taoiseach, should be supported in his personal lifestyle by gifts made to him personally."
While payments to politicians in 1993 were not subject to the same limitations and legal requirements which apply today, they are simply unacceptable. We have learned many unsavoury things about the interface between business and politics in recent years. Changes have been made. When the line is crossed from private into public life, when you become the holder of high office in this State, when you are responsible for material changes in people's lives and circumstances, it is a matter of paramount public interest that duties are discharged without being beholden to anyone financially. Mr Ahern acknowledged these duties in 1997, but he still has not learned from the lessons of his predecessor, Mr Haughey.
For some reason, known only to themselves, Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte, are hesitant in their reaction. Are they so conditioned to being out-manoeuvred by the Taoiseach, so opposed to leaks and so set on gagging the media that they are cowed in their response to his admission that he has taken monies from businessmen to pay his personal bill while he was minister for finance? Who is serving the public interest?
These are matters of legitimate public interest and concern. Mr Ahern was minister for finance and treasurer of the Fianna Fáil party at the time - both powerful and influential positions. He is now head of Government. And he acknowledges that payments were accepted by him.