The Irish in Britain, including those of Irish descent, make up a significant part of the UK population. Here, you will find news, entertainment, events, sports and features from the local Irish Post newspaper.

By Joe Horgan

IT would be hard to convey to you, some two weeks into the election campaign as I write, just how much politics here has once more been caught up in the finances of the Taoiseach.

Following the trail and the tangled web that constitutes Bertie Ahern’s finances as revealed to the tribunal investigating planning matters the whole state of affairs has been nothing short of bewildering.

Bertie’s explanations only serve to muddy the waters further in a way that begins to appear deliberate. No wonder people lose interest.

But it got me thinking.

Perhaps quite a few of us would struggle to offer fully coherent accounts of every aspect of our financial dealings over the years.

I for one once I sat down to think about it might have a few grey areas.

So here for what it’s worth is my disclosure on my financial affairs.

Back in the jobless early 1980s I was on a few occasions in receipt of cash whilst also receiving welfare benefits.

Nearly everyone I knew was too, thanks to Maggie having closed whole sections of the country down.

Back in the mid-80s I cleared a student overdraft with a £350 lodgement.

Where did I get that from, the tribunal might ask? I got it, sir, from the sale of a brand new television I had queued all night to buy at a knockdown price and from a cheque my father had given me after an incredible bet on the Derby, the Grand National, the league Championship and the FA Cup came up.

I also discovered some time ago that I was in a grey area with regards to tax liability on these columns.

I’m not in any way on the button with financial minutiae and I had at one stage thought that not being a qualified journalist and Ireland having a tax exemption for writers that there was no liability.

I was advised the same.

Since then I have been told differently and so have had to hand the matter over to an accountant.

So there you go my account of my financial affairs for what small interest it might be.

Under the circumstances I think it’s only fair that I now offer you as far as I can the financial dealings of a person of immeasurably more interest and immeasurably more power: Bertie Ahern.

I think too that this is only fair in the light of the fact that during many of the years of your forced emigration or that of your parents or grandparents that another Taoiseach one who was very close to Bertie is now known to have siphoned of a fortune of money for his own personal use.

So here goes.

Bertie Ahern’s bank details have been explained as far as I can follow in the following way: When he was Minister for Finance a group of friends gave him thousands of pounds to help him out during his marriage separation.

He put this in a safe in his office.

A group of Manchester-based Irish businessmen only one of whom has been traced and all of whom would have been by the self-styled Socialist’s own admission Tories gave him another sum of cash which the then Minister for Finance put in his suitcase and flew back to Ireland with.

He then put this too in his safe.

So he had now been given some £30,000. Yes, given.

He had also managed to save some £50,000 and get this the serving Minister for Finance also kept this in a safe in his office because he didn’t have a bank account.

That’s right the Minister for Finance did not have a bank account.

Shortly after though he did have a house albeit one that he was only renting even though by his own admission he had more than enough saved to have bought one at the current prices.

He also and remember he is only renting this house and the house is only three years old agreed to spend £50,000 on renovating this house.

Even stranger his landlord — who just happens to have been one of those Manchester-based businessmen also agreed to give Bertie and his partner Celia Larkin £30,000 towards the renovation. Of a house he owned.

Now I’ve rented a few properties in my time and I always found that I gave the landlord money and not the other way around. Further the landlord gave Bertie this money in yes, you’ve guessed it a suitcase full of cash.

Which along with other monies, Bertie’s savings etc, Celia Larkin lodged in two different accounts in her name.

Before some of the money was then withdrawn and put back in guess what Bertie’s safe.

And there’s more and more. But I guess that’s enough for now. And I can only politely suggest that you make your own minds up.