Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Seriously, I wish the Deputy well. Deputy Eamon Gilmore has served in this House with distinction since 1989. He has an onerous task and I wish him well.

I join Deputy Eamon Gilmore in expressing my sympathy to the families and colleagues of the two firemen who lost their lives while serving on the fire brigade.

I would like to respond to Deputy Gilmore's questions about the value in today's terms of certain sums of money. I received loans of approximately £48,000, in 1994 terms, from friends. Those moneys were repayable and I paid them back. The Deputy is obviously talking about other sums of money which I did not receive on the basis that they were loans. I paid back approximately £97,000, in 2006 terms, in respect of the loans I have mentioned. I have explained previously why I did not make the repayments earlier.

The tribunal and its legal team have made clear that the allegation against me is that I received either £150,000, £50,000 or £30,000 from Mr. Owen O'Callaghan in 1989, or at some time between 1989 and 1992. While there are many other allegations, that is the only one on which I have been questioned. I have to answer questions on that issue and not on anything else. I would like Deputy Gilmore to believe me — if he does not, I cannot force him to do so — when I say that I never received anything from Mr. Owen O'Callaghan, or anyone associated with Mr. O'Callaghan, for any purpose in 1989, 1999 or at any other time.

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