Transactions:AIB official Jim McNamara has told the Mahon tribunal he had no recollection of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern asking him about his foreign exchange transactions before March of this year.
Mr Ahern's counsel, Colm Ó hOisín SC, said it would be the Taoiseach's evidence that he had inquired about foreign exchange transactions in his accounts "going back from the start" of the tribunal's inquiries into his finances in 2004.
Mr McNamara, senior banker at AIB's O'Connell Street branch in Dublin, said his first recollection of Mr Ahern queries about foreign currency was in March.
"I don't have any recollection of being referred to foreign currency transactions early on in the nature of the inquiries," he said.
He agreed with Mr Ó hOisín that he did not have a full recollection of every inquiry made of him.
Asked if it was possible that Mr Ahern may have asked about these transactions before March, he said, "it's possible, but I don't have any recollection".
Mr McNamara said he found it "surprising" that Mr Ahern's office, and later Mr Ahern, had contacted him seeking details regarding three foreign exchange transactions shortly after the bank had received queries from the Mahon tribunal about the same transactions.
A year earlier, Mr Ahern had submitted a report on his finances to the tribunal but this did not mention a number of sterling cash transactions.
The tribunal is investigating bank transactions, including one for £24,838.49 which Mr Ahern said comprised " a dig-out" from friends and a stg£8,000 gift which he received in Manchester.
A solicitor to the tribunal wrote to Mr Ahern on March 2nd this year, pointing out that a number of issues concerning Mr Ahern's finances were still unresolved and seeking a private meeting with the Taoiseach "at the earliest opportunity suitable".
Eight days later, the Taoiseach's office contacted AIB seeking the information about foreign exchange transactions.
Mr Ó hOisín said there was "nothing surprising" about the fact that a customer would contact his bank seeking data about his accounts if he was being asked to explain transactions that went back more than 10 years.
"In fact it would appear to be folly for somebody not to make sure they were properly prepared before going in for a private interview with the tribunal," Mr Ó hOisín submitted.
Meanwhile, Hugh Millar, solicitor for Celia Larkin, rejected a claim from the tribunal legal team that there were "substantial" lodgments and withdrawals from her account in a short period of time in 1994/1995.
He pointed out that six out of eight transactions related to the acquisition of bank drafts.
When these were removed from the equation, the lodgments and withdrawals were not significant, Mr Millar argued.
