Mahon findings 'extremely serious'

"The findings of the Mahon Tribunal Report are extremely serious." That's according to Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD, Deputy Brendan Smith, who added that previous good deeds will not serve to absolve those named. The Mahon Report, published last week found that former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern gave untrue evidence about the source of over £215,000 lodged in bank accounts connected to him. The tribunal of inquiry into certain planning matters and payments, ran from November 1997 to March 2012 also made findings of corruption against former minister Mr Flynn, developer Owen O'Callaghan, the late TD Liam Lawlor and eleven councillors. Motions to expel Mr Ahern and former minister Padraig Flynn were due to be put before a special meeting of the party's national executive on Friday, March 31 - though both have already tendered their resignations for the good of the party. The former Taoiseach insists the findings against him are not correct and has signalled his intention to clear his good name. 'I condemn those actions unreservedly' Deputy Smith was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1992, a now infamous period in Irish politics during which former party leader, the late Charles Haughey stepped down and Mr Ahern served as Minister for Finance. He told The Anglo-Celt this week, following the publication of the report: "I share the anger and I fully understand the disappointment that many people feel while reading the report of this Tribunal. "Many years ago the then Fianna Fáil Minister for the Environment described the planning process in Dublin as a debased currency and there was totally unacceptable behaviour by councillors from a number of political parties. Those actions undermined public trust in local politics and I condemn those actions unreservedly." He had this to say of the man who appointed him Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture in the 2004 Government cabinet reshuffle: "The findings of the Tribunal against Bertie Ahern are very serious, and although the outstanding achievement of the Good Friday Agreement has huge benefits for everyone on this island, it cannot absolve him from facing the implications of this report." Deputy Smith concluded on the matter: "Party Leader Micheál Martin has moved in the immediate aftermath to deal with issues affecting members of the Party, regardless of what position or rank they held. In these actions he has my full support." The Mahon tribunal, the State's longest running corruption inquiry, was established 15 years ago and has cost over €250 million. The government is to refer the 3,270-page report to the Garda Commissioner, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Revenue Commissioners and to the Standards in Public Office Commission. A three-day Dáil debate on the report began yesterday (Tuesday).