Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I accept, if that is what is stated there, that it is incorrect. I made it clear throughout that it was not them.

On the NCB issue, the initial loan which I received from eight friends, included money from Pádraic O'Connor. This money came to me in the form of a bank draft. It was not a cheque and could not therefore have been a company cheque. I think everyone is aware that bank drafts are drawn on a specified bank and in this case it was drawn on the Bank of Ireland and does not carry the name of the person who drew it. As far as I was aware, Pádraic O'Connor personally gave me this and I never believed anything else, and I repaid Pádraic O'Connor. I have not discussed this with Pádraic O'Connor. A number of my friends wanted to give me a donation and I refused a donation. I stated that the only reason I would accept it was based on the fact that it was a condition of a loan and that I would repay it. I made that clear from the outset. I may not have gone back to every individual a number of times but I went back to a number of individuals several times and said that I was in a position to pay it and I would rather pay it. My savings were totally out of my own income, from my TD's salary and my salary as Minister for Finance.

In answer to the question about the dates, I was in Manchester at least seven times in 1994. I cannot say exactly which date it was but I think that function was probably early in the season, in the autumn of 1994. However, I cannot be certain because from what I have been able to gather from people I——

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