A Chara, - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern tells Stephen Collins he is bemused that the the Mahon tribunal seems "intent on doing a cradle-to-grave trawl of my finances" (The Irish Times, December 24th). Perhaps I could enlighten Mr Ahern.
In the course of the tribunal's inquiry into planning matters and payments, allegations were made by Mr Tom Gilmartin that Mr Ahern had accepted money from property developer Owen O'Callaghan in return for favours. The tribunal had to investigate the veracity of these allegations.
In the course of these investigations it was revealed that when Mr Ahern was Minister for Finance he had received cash "dig-outs"/loans totalling tens of thousands of pounds from private citizens.
There is no proper paper trail for this money, which was paid to one of the most powerful members of a democratic and accountable government. Yet Mr Ahern still seems bewildered by the potential implications of these handouts, and wonders why they require further investigation.
In the course of his interview Mr Ahern says that Bill Clinton is the politician he most admires, partly because the former US president is a "gifted communicator". Considering the consistent lack of clarity by Mr Ahern in detailing to the tribunal the full extent of the monies he received, Mr Ahern would be better served by contemplating the part his communication skills, or his lack of them, have played in the subsequent need for a more thorough tribunal investigation of his financial affairs. - Is mise,
ERIC CREAN, Ballyvolane, Cork.