That Mahon Report - here's a download mirror in case you're interested (1 Viewer)

[pete]

http://thumped.com/mirror/mahonreport.pdf

 

[Psycho Punk]

Thanks. Its being discussed on Pat Kenny show. Some gobshite called Paddy Duffy defending Bertie: On what basis did the Tribunal not believe Berties evidence?

Do we have to have another tribunal to work that out?

Fortunately the Paddy Duffys are few and far between.

Bertie won't be going too prison but he might have some tax problems.

Padraic Flynn could well end up in Mountjoy. Nah, he'll be in an open prison.

Looking forward to reading Eoghan Harris in the Sindo. Hes defended Bertie & Flynn all along. I predict an attack on the Tribunals cost, no mention of Flynn, and Bertie was cleared because theres no finding of corruption.

 

[magicbastarder]

a pity he didn't get the corruption verdict. would have affected the speaking circuit job, probably.

 

[Psycho Punk]

From Irish Times.

The Mahon tribunal has rejected much of the sworn evidence given to it by former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and said that he failed to “truthfully account” for the source of lodgements made to his bank account.

In its final report, published this morning, the planning tribunal found that Mr Ahern failed to account for over IR£165,000 which passed through bank accounts connected to him.

The tribunal states that: "Much of the explanation provided by Mr Ahern as to the source of the substantial funds identified and inquired into in the course of the tribunal’s public hearings was deemed by the tribunal to be untrue."

However, it says that because Mr Ahern did not give a true account as to the source of money lodged to his accounts, the tribunal has not been able to identify where the money came from. For this reason, it could not determine whether Mr Ahern had received corrupt payments from the developer Owen O’Callaghan.

Regarding Fianna Fáil, the tribunal states that the concept of senior government figures and ministers seeking financial contributions from businessmen who were in turn lobbying government to support various commercial projects was entirely inappropriate, and represented "an abuse of political power and government authority".

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said senior party members would meet tonight to consider the findings before it issued a full response. Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary said he was "disappointed" and “betrayed” by the content of the report but he declined to comment on specific findings.

The tribunal also found that former minister and EU commissioner Pádraig Flynn "wrongfully and corruptly sought a substantial donation" from developer Tom Gilmartin for Fianna Fáil. Having been paid IR£50,000 by Mr Gilmartin for that purpose, Mr Flynn proceeded to "utilise the money for his personal benefit", the report states.

The tribunal found that former Fianna Fáil deputy Liam Lawlor abused his role as an elected public representative (in his capacity as a councillor until June 1991 and as an elected TD representing the constituency of Dublin West until 2002) to a "very significant degree." Mr Lawlor died in a car crash in Russia in 2005.

"Mr Lawlor, while an elected public representative, conducted a personal business in the course of which he corruptly sold his expertise, knowledge and influence as a councillor and as a TD for personal financial reward," the tribunal concluded. “Mr Lawlor's demands for payments, and his acceptance of money in these circumstances were enitrely inappropriate and were corrupt.”

The tribunal said it was satisfied that complaints made to the Garda by Mr Gilmartin during a 1989 corruption investigation about Liam Lawlor, former assistant county manager George Redmond and Cllr Finbarr Hanrahan were not “thoroughly investigated”.
ht tp://w ww.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0322/breaking4.h tml

 

[magicbastarder]

one wonders if the revenue commissioners are now going to ask bertie about his alternative source of income.

 

[pete]

"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.
"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" - Bertie Ahern

 

[shower another shower]

Drumcondra loves Bertie.

 

[pete]

In a statement, Martin outlined his response to the findings of the Mahon Report, published earlier today.

It is a matter of profound personal and professional regret to see confirmed in this Report the extent to which Bertie Ahern fell short of the standard of personal behaviour which is expected of the holders of high office. In the manner in which he received this money while holding high office and in the giving of rejected evidence to a sworn tribunal Bertie Ahern betrayed the trust placed in him by this country and this party.

I, together with the party’s officers with whom I have met and consulted, believe the conduct of Bertie Ahern as outlined in the evidence made public through the Tribunal and the findings of the Tribunal constitute conduct unbecoming a member of Fianna Fáil.Accordingly, I will propose a motion to expel him as a member of Fianna Fáil at the special meeting of National Executive. We are writing to Mr Ahern to inform him of this decision.

Martin has also proposed the expulsion of the former European Commissioner, Padraif Flynn.

"It was wholly inappropriate for any person to give a Minister a payment of IR£50,000 (€63,500), irrespective of how it was described. It is reprehensible that Padraig Flynn should have taken it for his own use. That behaviour on his part was a disgrace and betrayed the trust that the Irish electorate had placed in him.

I, together with the party’s officers with whom I have met and consulted, believe the conduct of Padraig Flynn constitutes conduct unbecoming a member of Fianna Fáil. Accordingly, I will propose a motion to expel him as a member of Fianna Fáil at the special meeting of National Executive."

http://www.businesspost.ie/#!story/...+Fail/id/89127228-1884-f6b9-9713-046488365849

 

[Psycho Punk]

Des Peelo, Berties accountant (he was also Haugheys accountant) is spinning away on the Pat Kenny show right now. There are liars, damn liars, statisticians, and then you come to accountants.

 

[Unicron]

Des Peelo, Berties accountant (he was also Haugheys accountant) is spinning away on the Pat Kenny show right now. There are liars, damn liars, statisticians, and then you come to accountants.

What's that not very funny old gag? Something along the lines of ask a mathematician what 2 and 2 is they'll say 4 and provide a proof, ask a writer and they'll say 22, ask an accountant and they'll ask you what you want it to be.

 

[magicbastarder]

miriam lord's article in the irish times today is brilliantly pitched.

 

[pete]

miriam lord's article in the irish times today is brilliantly pitched.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0323/1224313769154.html

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

yeah, first thing I read this morning.

Good stuff.

I've been like a broken record on this for years.
I was screaming at people for voting for FF in 2007.