Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

There is a long period for detailed questions. For today, I will ignore the later political points made. I do not think any fair examination of this issue would accept that sleaze, cronyism, corruption, big business interests running the political process, conflicts of interests, patronage or any of the points made by the last few speakers are correct by any stretch of the imagination. I said what I said earlier, so there is no point going back over it.

Deputy Kenny and Deputy Rabbitte followed the points made. Deputy Kenny asked if I ran any other fundraisers or received political donations outside the State for myself. The answer to that question is "No". The reason I raised the issue was that it was there. Any other fundraisers I would ever have been involved in were party political fundraisers and were done in the normal way, but nothing was done for me. This was not a fundraiser for me. It was not organised as a fundraiser. As I had been present at these functions many times, I was surprised that somebody would offer me anything. It was done for the same reason as the other issues.

Deputy Rabbitte made a valid point which I will explain. I said today that the Manchester money was associated with the other payments. I actually lodged it on the same lodgment as the £16,500 and it was related to exactly the same period and the same issue.

Questions were raised about St. Luke's. I do not own it; St. Luke's is owned by the Fianna Fáil Party. I have no long-term beneficial interest in it, but I declare my short-term interest in it as a public office.

Deputy Kenny asked if these loans were over a long period. I answered that question last week but I would like to answer it again. Some colleagues of mine, knowing the difficulties — difficulties that in the cold light of day could have been surmounted in another way — believed they were being helpful and wanted to run a fundraiser. That would have been a fundraiser where I was going to get the money and use that for personal circumstances. That was clearly wrong. It would have been organised as a fundraiser for me to do that. I said no. I said the only way that I would accept the money was on the basis that it would be loans that I would pay back. I would have paid those loans back years ago, quite frankly, except that when it came up it was stated that, because I was answering questions at the tribunals, it was better not to do it that way. Right or wrong, that was the decision I made at that stage.

In regard to the Manchester issue, a contribution was made that I did not expect. It was not a fundraising night. I was not present in my official capacity or as part of my office; it was an entirely different position. I will answer any of the detailed issues.

Deputy Rabbitte asked if I had savings and bank accounts. I think I reflected on that question but if I have to go into it, I will. He asked if I had any bank accounts in my own name. I had several bank accounts in joint names with my wife, but I was not using those bank accounts at the time of my separation until that was over. I had one account in my own name which was a dormant account.

The Deputy asked the fair question if I had accounts anywhere else, if I had accounts outside the State or if anyone outside the State opened accounts for me. The answer to that question is "No". I had no other accounts whatsoever. I operated for a fairly long period without a bank account and did keep that money in my own possession during that period. I had no other accounts. I will answer the detailed questions, but they were the relevant ones.

I will not go into the political questions today but I wish to make one point. Two party leaders have raised the issue of housing. I am very proud of the fact that the Government I lead has, in the last few years, built 515,000 houses, a third of the entire housing stock of the country. The vast majority of those houses have gone to first-time buyers.

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