Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I shall be dealing with some of these issues at greater length. It is my view and the view of those who advised me that I made discovery in accordance with the requirements of the tribunal. The chairman of the tribunal has made it clear there are no suggestions that there are documents I failed to discover. The Deputy is making reference to two items, in particular to the money I transferred to Ms Celia Larkin. I shall deal with that issue later. However, it is my view that I made matters clear in the letter attached to my discovery documents on 7 February 2005, where I made reference to that issue.

On the issue of the Revenue Commissioners, there is no contradiction as regards what I said on 13 May and in this House at the end of September last year. The position is that it was my advice from two senior and eminent tax consultants that I had no tax obligation as regards the money I received on the basis of loans, with the intention of repaying — and subsequently paid back. Obviously I was in correspondence with Revenue, as I believe most people appearing before the tribunal are. I was advised that what I should do, on a no-fault basis, was to make a tax discovery on that and pay the sum, notwithstanding the fact that my case, and that of my tax advisers, is that I have no such liability. I did that and complied with the advice I received.

On the £48,000 I believe I received in all, I paid back with interest, almost £100,000 on the basis that the moneys were loans. I do not believe there is anything misleading in what I state.

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