Berie is a politician. The “loans” he formerly got were carved up in such a way just to be under the donations threshold. But at least he does not have skeletons in the cupboard, like the Armani suits of Sinn Fein. It will be interesting to watch the uneducated generation of Crowe, Ferris etc being eclipsed by Mary Lou and the radicals of the gated communities of Rathgar.

1)He should have borrowed from a bank rather than friends.

2)He should have borrowed serious money (say half a million) not the Mickey Mouse money VB is getting worked up about.

He should then have got advice from Garret FitzGerald as to how he had a similar loan written off by the banks without the witch hunt by the anti FF media establishment.

The Press in Dublin should be ashamed of their cowardice in the Haughey years. They backed off instead of exposing him for what he was worth.

I think Ahern is a decent person but is still answerable to the Irish people.

You know, he’s just right in one way. No-one dared challenge Charlie about his money or where it came from or why he was spending it when there wasnt a bob anywhere else in the country.

In this case, Bertie doesnt live extravagantly, and I honestly think that his circumstances were the result of his separation from his wife, and he was doing the best that he could.

It’s a woeful pity Vincent couldnt have had his attack of moral outrage toward someone who patently deserved it at a time when we all would have benefitted from the truth about the corrupt lifestyle of Charles Haughey.

Journalists must be inappropriate on occasions to get at the truth, it would be even better if they could hit the mark while they were at it.

I see nothing improper in Celia Larkin acting as project manager for a property that was not owned by her on behalf of the owner, especially if the owner was a close friend and the property needed renovation and she was to be the prospective tenant. There is no evidence that Bertie received any of the money that was to be used to the stated purpose, nor is there any suggestion (despite Vincent’s ulterior implication) that the owner of the property intended the money to be a ‘bribe’ for some un-stated purpose. Those who wish to make that allegation should have something more solid to support it than an irrelevant sense of what they personally find to be credible or otherwise.

The pertinent issue is whether or not Bertie Ahern subsequently purchased the property from his friend at its market value. If he purchased it below market value, that would have been an error of political judgement on his part but not evidence corruption. However, errors of political judgement are punished by the electorate and not by tribunals or courts.