Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Taoiseach was asked yesterday, and he commented freely, about a false invoice. I have the quotation where he said he thanked Mr. O'Connor in January. Does the Taoiseach still accept that this was a debt of honour and a loan that he said he would repay with interest? The Taoiseach must return to the tribunal to answer more questions. Fundamentally, the equivalent of €300,000 in today's terms, found its way into personal accounts controlled by him. The sad fact is that the public has not been given credible explanations as to how that happened, why, who paid it and for what reason. As I said earlier, the Irish are a forgiving people, but they should not be taken for fools. If there was a simple explanation for this, I am sure it would have been given long ago.

I ask Deputy Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach and leader of the country to spit it all out, warts and all, so that at least the people have the facts. If this goes on, his credibility as the leader of our country will be torn to shreds. People do not believe him. They cannot assimilate the contradictory statements about these payments to the Taoiseach, over this 18-month to two-year period. In his own interest, as the leader of his party and the country, before his credibility is torn to shreds, I ask him to clarify, once and for all, the background to the equivalent of €300,000 paid to him, who paid it, where it came from and why. He might save everybody, including himself, a great deal of trouble.

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