The controversy over Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's finances and his evidence to the Mahon tribunal is over, according to Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív.
Mr Ó Cuív yesterday said that the public wanted the Government to get on with running the country and had no interest in continued debate "again and again" about Mr Ahern's finances.
"As far as I'm concerned the issue debated last week closed with that debate in the Dáil. The matter is over as far as we're concerned. And we have the business of running this country and what people want is for us to get on and run the country," he said.
As the grandson of Eamon de Valera, one thing the family grew up with was "all sort of wild allegations being made," Mr Ó Cuív told The Irish Times. It was often difficult to defend itself against totally unfounded allegations.
"If you check the Dáil record, there were allegations made in the 1920s and de Valera had to stand up in the Dáil to defend himself, amusingly enough, against allegations that he was carrying on with women.
"There were allegations in the 1940s that he had taken bribes and there was a tribunal set up that proved the person who made the allegations had perjured himself. So I have to say, as a family, we know more than our fair share about allegations."
