After years of charm offensive after charm offensive, Bertie Ahern faces the realisation that a 7-inch grin and the odd "De Dubs are grate" thrown in for good measure might not be as useful as a paddle going up the shit creek he's attempting to navigate. At some point in the next 24 hours he's going to have to answer some very hard questions about a very large sum of money he received in 1993.

Considering he keeps company with the dons of the construction industry, why then are people acting so surprised that this time Bertie may not come out smelling of used bank notes? The crucial question to be answered is whether any of his very generous friends have benefitted from their benevolence since 1993.

Let's see.
Ireland around 1993 = relatively poor country with few prospects
Ireland since the mid 90s = explosive economic growth substantially boosted by 80,000 house creations per year

Have developers made lots of money? Check
Have shady deals been done between politicians and the construction industry? Check
Have any Fianna Fail TDs spent time behind bars resulting from said deals? Check (Burke and Lawlor)
How does the Taoiseach spend the last week of every July? Snuggling up the construction industry gang who fight their way into the Fianna Fail tent at a cost of €400 per head.

Of course the Taoiseach is innocent until proven otherwise. But considering the questions asked above, is anybody really surprised at the events that are unfolding?

UPDATE: Ahern confirms 'loan' of £39,000 but says no repayments made yet (since 1993). Those friends of yours are keepers Bertie. Now there's a loose definition of a loan if ever I heard one ... no repayments! If only my bank manager would look at things like you do, Taoiseach.

tags:shanghai'd

Published by Colm.