The outgoing Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent, last night declared himself "absolutely" happy with the Taoiseach's word on his personal finances as it emerged Mr Ahern is to give evidence to the Mahon tribunal in two weeks' time, months earlier than expected, write Miriam Donohoeand Colm Keena.
Mr Sargent said there had to be a relationship of trust for a coalition to succeed and he negotiated senior ministries with Mr Ahern after "long and fairly arduous" discussions.
"But in the end he delivered, so he hasn't certainly let me down. I've no reason not to trust him and I think he's a man of his word," he told TV3, adding that he would let the tribunal get on with its work.
Mr Sargent's firmest endorsement yet of Mr Ahern over his finances came as the tribunal witness list showed that Mr Ahern, his former partner Celia Larkin, and his former landlord Michael Wall, are to be called in the week beginning July 3rd.
Mr Ahern's appearance in the witness box will follow testimony next week from four AIB witnesses - John Garrett, Philip Murphy, Jim McNamara and Elaine Blake. They will be called to answer questions about a number of significant lodgments to AIB, O'Connell Street in the 1993 to 1995 period, to accounts in the names of Mr Ahern and Ms Larkin.
The key aspect of the evidence will concern foreign exchange transactions that preceded some lodgments.
A spokesman for Mr Ahern said yesterday he had "no comment" to make on when he is to give evidence to the tribunal. But on RTÉ Radio 1 Mr Ahern again appeared to criticise the Mahon tribunal, saying: "The tribunals have gone on now longer than the two world wars, but some day will come to an end."
Asked if he thought some of the things that have been said at the tribunal were bizarre, Mr Ahern added: "Well I think all of them to be honest. To be frank with you so many things have been said in so many places . . . other than I murdered someone it is the only thing I haven't been accused of."
In its opening statement on May 28th last, the tribunal indicated that a lodgment which Mr Ahern said involved stg£30,000 in cash could not have occurred as the bank received far less than that amount in sterling in total on the day in question in December 1994.
Also, the amount of Irish money lodged did equate to $45,000 when one of the dollar exchange rates being used by the bank that day was applied.
At the time of the opening statement in May, the bank had not unearthed any documentation which could show definitively what currency was involved in the lodgment. Mr Ahern has said he was not involved in any dollar transactions.
Meanwhile, Mr Ahern's spokesman said yesterday the Taoiseach has instructed his legal team to pursue the €60,000 costs and damages arising from his circuit court libel action against Denis "Starry" O'Brien. The six-year period in which Mr Ahern can claim the damages and costs he won is up on July 11th.
The spokesman added: "The Taoiseach has been advised by his legal team that it would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time."
Mr Ahern said yesterday that allegations at the tribunal that the O'Brien case was a set-up designed to benefit him was the "greatest load of nonsense" he ever heard.
He said his legal people wanted to "go after" the people who said that. "But to be honest I tried to avoid in 30 years in politics to keep out of court and if I can keep out of tribunals I will do it as well."
Mr Ahern added: "I can tell you my legal team, who are a formidable group of people, take grave offence at those remarks and if they got one per cent of a chance they would sue left, right and centre for that."