Ireland’s former Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, lied about the source of money paid into his bank accounts in the 1990s, according to a major report into political and planning corruption. Mahon Tribunal found this out after a 15-year investigation.
Property developers, Tom Gilmartin and Owen O’Callaghan, had claimed that they paid the former leader two sums: IR£50,000 in 1989 and IR£30,000 in 1992, when he was the Irish finance minister. The Tribunal was unable to verify this.
Mr Ahern, one of the architects of Ireland’s economic boom, had always denied dealing in foreign currencies but was forced to resign when his former secretary, Grainne Carruth revealed she had lodged sterling sums, totalling 165,000 euro, into bank accounts on his behalf. The party hierarchy could expel their former leader.
Additionally the Mahon tribunal has recommended the following measures, among others, to combat corruption in Ireland:
Ban members of the Oireachtas, who are convicted of bribery from holding public office and to remove their pension rights. Oireachtas consists of the President, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Commercial entities convicted of bribery should be prohibited from tendering for public contracts for seven years.
A person who pays bribes to a public official should be banned from applying for planning permission for seven years.
The tribunal also pointed out that bribes may be made in the guise of political donations, which may exert a corrupting influence.
You may view the Mahon report in greater detail here.
According to reports there is widespread corruption in Ireland. Here is a video about corruption in Ireland.
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