Ahern rejects Mahon Tribunal findings
Bertie Ahern said this evening that he rejects the finding of the Mahon Tribunal that he was not truthful in his account of events.
The former Taoiseach says that he is disappointed at the findings and that he will fight to disprove the allegations that he lied.
In a statement, Mr Ahern said that after a decade of inquiries and millions of euros, the tribunal could not support the allegation that he received a corrupt payment from developer Owen O'Callaghan.
He claimed that the tribunal could not prove the allegation because it never happened.
Mr Ahern went on to say that without that allegation, the tribunal had no mandate to carry out an investigation into Mr Ahern's personal finances and life.
The former Taoiseach said that he is disappointed that the Tribunal said that he failed to give “a truthful account” of event, saying it is an allegation he will fight to disprove.
Mr Ahern stated that he was always honest with the tribunal and that he is incredulous that it rejected evidence made on his behalf by some of his friends who loaned him money.
Mr Ahern said that he will fight to clear his name.
"After spending over a decade of inquiries and countless millions of euros, the Tribunal has not made - nor could it make - a finding to support the scurrilous and untrue allegation allegation that I had been given a corrupt payment by Mr Owen O'Callaghan (the Cork based developer of Quarryvale) or any of his companies," said Mr Ahern.
"I have never received a corrupt payment and I have never done anything to demean any office I have held. I know that some people will feel that some aspects of my personal finances are unusual and that in retrospect it is obvious I was wrong not to have paid more attention to my financial affairs and records.
"I hid nothing. I gave the Tribunal unfettered access to all my financial records, and after years of investigation, this Tribunal has not made any finding of corruption against me. I have told the truth to this Tribunal, and I reject strongly any suggestion that I sought to mislead it."
READ THE FINAL MAHON REPORT HERE
