Charlie Chawke gives evidence about dig-out cash
The Mahon Tribunal has been told that Bertie Ahern at first refused to accept so-called "dig-out" money from friends to help pay his marriage separation legal costs.
Publican Charlie Chawke said today he was told Mr Ahern became emotional when he presented with more than IR£20,000 collected by Des Richardson and the late Gerry Brennan in December 1993.
Mr Chawke says he had a half-hour discussion with Mr Richardson, a former Fianna Fáil fundraiser, and Gerry Brennan, Mr Ahern's solicitor at the time, in The Goat pub in December 1993.
He said he was asked to contribute IR£2,500 to a collection to go towards Mr Ahern's legal bills.
He said other members in a circle of friends were mentioned as contributors, but he couldn't remember all the names.
Mr Chawke says it was agreed he would give them cash and they returned to the pub a few evenings later to collect the money.
In January 1994, Mr Chawke says they told him they had managed to collect all the money that was needed for Mr Ahern, which he initially refused to take but accepted on condition he would pay it back.
Mr Chawke said he regarded his contribution as a goodwill few quid for a friend and didn't want a receipt.
He accepted the money back with interest, totalling €5,914, after Mr Ahern's financial woes became public last year and agreed to give it to the CARI Foundation, the favourite charity of the Taoiseach's estranged wife, Miriam Ahern.
