Report on Corruption Coming Soon

A Report by the Mahon Tribunal into corrupt payments to politicians is expected to be published in the near future.

The Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan recently called for the publication of the Report which is being finalized by Judge Alan Mahon.

The Report is expected to be critical of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, prompting the current Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin to make a statement regarding the Party’s culpability.

FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin and party officials are working on a strategy to respond to the Mahon tribunal report, especially potentially adverse findings against former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

The party has taken the view at the highest level that the final report of the planning tribunal, chaired by Judge Alan Mahon, will be a watershed moment for the party, and particularly for Mr Martin.

DEVELOPER’S “MOST UNUSUAL” PAYMENTS

TODAY PATRICIA DILLON, Senior Counsel for the Tribunal, cross-examined Owen O’Callaghan – the Cork based developer who, it has been alleged, paid bribes in the early 90s totalling IR£80,000 to the then Minister for Finance, Bertie Ahern.

IRISH LEADER CALLS FOR TRIBUNALS TO BE SCRAPPED

THE TAOISEACH told Sunday Independent editor Aengus Fanning, it was time to abolish the law instating Tribunals of Inquiry: “I think the time has come to scrap them (tribunals) and the 1921 Act. It is an Act from the British time, it is an Act from a time when there was no fairness or justice for the small people. So it is my belief that the 1921 Act should be scrapped.”

Mr. Ahern noted: “The reality of the situation is that 100 years ago it was Parnell, 10 years ago it was Clinton, today it’s me and tomorrow it will be somebody else.”

He said: “In my view the time has come for a review, and I hope my successor in government will do that at an earliest time.”