Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

I have not read all of the report, but I have read the key sections. When making my contribution, I want to be objective and to look at the issues dispassionately. As public representatives, we must link in with what ordinary people see in the report. There is nothing really new in the report. The only aspect in any way new is what it says about the former Taoiseach.

The Mahon tribunal report states that the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, told untruths and that former EU Commissioner, Minister and Deputy, Padraig Flynn, was corrupt. Above all else, we must learn from the report that people cannot abuse political office for personal gain and not suffer any consequences. Personal greed was the driving force and it follows that such people must feel financial pain. I commend the Taoiseach's decision to refer the report to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Revenue Commissioners, the Garda Síochána and SIPO, Standards in Public Office Commission.

The concern is that many of these people have become immune to guilt and in some cases, being found guilty is regarded as a badge of honour and this has been the case with previous tribunals. Bertie Ahern is the emperor with no clothes but in my view such persons should be stripped of their financial gains. It is not enough for tribunals to decide that a person has told untruths if that person does not suffer financial consequences. I commend the Taoiseach on the decision to examine the pensions for such officeholders under the constitutional convention. These individuals have destroyed the reputation of this country and of the body politic. Something good must result from this investigation by the tribunal and it may be good for Ireland's reputation in that we are seen to carry out such investigations and hope to restore the trust of the public in the political system.

The report makes for harrowing reading. I wonder if the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, went to the tribunal in the full knowledge that he had significant problems but with the single objective to avoid a finding of corruption against him. He did not particularly care whether it was found that he was telling untruths and he concocted a defence which was that he was unable to verify from where the money came. It was like a play with different actors in every scene - different people appearing and disappearing. He now defies the tribunal's findings.

I say, shame on Bertie Ahern. The Irish people have been very good to him, they placed their trust in him and I hope people will now see that this former emperor has no clothes and never had any clothes, that much of it was pretence and dissimulation. I wonder if there is any shame. A person concocting stories for a tribunal must suffer consequences and if money is involved, a person must suffer financial pain. The ordinary members of the public make the point to me as a public representative that tribunals and investigations are great but if these people do not suffer financial consequences they wonder what is the point.

The Standards in Public Office Commission has received a complaint about Bertie Ahern's tax affairs. He produced a tax clearance certificate for 2002. The question now is whether he filed a false tax return. The query is with the Revenue Commissioners and the organs of the State need to be seen to deal with all people equally. Ordinary people in business know the Revenue Commissioners can make life very difficult. The small man is entitled to be treated in the same way as the big man. There is a view among the ordinary members of the public that ill-gotten gains by whatever circuitous means, can mean a person becomes untouchable. I hope the likes of Bertie Ahern are no longer the untouchables as a result of this report and that they will suffer the consequences and that the organs of the State will be seen to act. What is needed is fair play. If people are not guilty then so be it but if people try to make fools of the public and of tribunals, for their own ends, so that they will not have a finding of corruption held against them, but they told untruths, such persons must suffer the consequences and this is when the Revenue Commissioners, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Garda Síochána and SIPO must come into play.

This Republic must be seen to be free of political corruption and to achieve this balanced measures are required. Legislation dealing with political donations is being discussed by the House and legislation dealing with political lobbying is planned, along with whistleblower's legislation. We must examine the planning system at all levels and I include An Bord Pleanála. The system must be seen to be fair.

The report refers to giving all powers to the Executive but this is a concern. There needs to be a balance. Politicians, in the main, are general practitioners; we work for the people and we are not corrupt. Yet, this report indicates that corruption occurred at the highest level and that the view was one could not be successful unless one gave £50,000 to a Minister at the time, who used it for personal use. The farm of land in question should be sold. According to the report, Padraig Flynn took money under false pretences and that paid for the farm. What is Fianna Fáil doing about seeking the return of that money? There needs to be consequences for those who have abused their public position for personal gain.

Why did it take 15 years for the tribunal to complete its work at a cost of approximately €100,000 per page of the report? Young people who will be eligible to vote in three years' time were not even born when the tribunal began its investigation. This report is a good body of work which in my view took too long and which needs to be acted upon in a balanced way. The public need a transparent process in the political system which shows their interests are paramount. The organs of the State are hard on the small man. I know this from my experience over many years of dealing with business people who found it difficult. The former Taoiseach has not produced a tax clearance certificate for the 2007 election and this is the subject of a complaint to SIPO. The Revenue Commissioners need to review the files and action needs to be taken. The concern is that a person with enough money will be above and beyond the legal system and the organs of the State.

The people we represent, such as those with young families and the elderly, are the ones who matter. The investigations into the banking crisis need to be moved forward. Bankers were instrumental in wrecking our economy. Anglo Irish Bank has received €34 billion of taxpayers' money. The Irish Nationwide Building Society is now part of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation and we are seeking to renegotiate a deal on that in Europe. People need to be held to account and we need to see action in this regard.

This is about getting finance for personal use so hit them where it hurts - in their pockets. We need to ensure the organs of the State and the people concerned are seen to be held to account and will suffer consequences. In some cases, people appear to be immune from legal consequences but if we hit them in their pocket, they will feel the pain and that is what we need to see happening now.

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