Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I am sure Deputy Higgins, like everybody else, would have heard a number of my friends, particularly Mr. Charlie Chawke, who gave a number of interviews, make it very clear that I had offered to pay back these loans a number of times, which I had done. That was made very clear. I said in my opening statement that I would probably know all the people at that function in Manchester but I cannot pin down, without being able to talk to them all, who exactly was at what function and I do not want to do that. A number of people from Manchester rang me, because this was on the news in Manchester on Friday evening, to say they had met me.

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