The receipt of money from personal friends is not in any way wrong, illegal, unjust or improper, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Dáil during renewed questioning about his personal finances.
Mr Ahern said that in regard to money he received in Manchester, he had "already admitted" that "it may have been unwise at the time. Even now until this legislation is changed, the receipt of money from personal friends is not in any way wrong, illegal, unjust or improper.
"I received the money on the basis of loans that I would repay and not on the basis of that the money was a gift that I would never repay."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny had asked if the Taoiseach accepted that "as Minister for Finance, the highest ranking Minister beside the Taoiseach, the acceptance of this kind of contribution was wrong. Does he accept that such conduct was completely unbecoming for a serving Minister, despite whatever pressure they may experience?"
Mr Ahern said the issue arose in 1995, when new legislation was enacted in 1997 and 2001. "To be frank, I would not have lodged those monies into what is the business bank in the main street of the capital of the country, one of the busiest branches of Allied Irish Bank, if I thought there was anything wrong in doing so."
Alan Shatter (FG, Dublin South) asked if the Taoiseach would feel comfortable if the Minister for Finance or any Minister sat down with a group of people, gave them a briefing on the economy for more than an hour and they had a whip-around "because they decided he was a nice guy and needed a few bob and gave him €10,000".
The Taoiseach replied that "a Minister today must abide by the code and legislation".
