DOCUMENTATION to show that a minister's tax affairs were in order would be required before appointment in a new government, the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Ahern, said.
Asked if he would prevent a repeat of Mr Michael Lowry's situation in a Fianna Fail led government, Mr Ahern said yesterday he would ask any ministers that he appointed "to effectively have their affairs in order insofar as they could give me a letter to say that they have a tax clearance cert".
However, it is understood that a formal tax clearance certificate from the Revenue Commissioners will not necessarily be required. Ministers could produce back up evidence to Mr Ahern by way of a letter from the Commissioners.
Members of the Fianna Fail front bench were informed of this new requirement some months ago.
Asked if he had spoken to a leading Fianna Fail politician about whom allegations of planning corruption have been made, Mr Ahern responded: "I have gone to that member and gone through it in detail on four separate occasions as the allegations continued to come up in one newspaper over a period of 17 months. Insofar as I possibly can be, I am satisfied."
Confirming that he was not talking about the former leader, Mr Charles Haughey, Mr Ahern said: "We all know who we are talking about."
Further asked if he was satisfied that that Fianna Fail member would be eligible for Cabinet membership, Mr Ahern said: "I am so satisfied."
Action urged on welfare fraud
The Labour candidate in Dublin Central, Mr Joe Costello, has called for "a crackdown" on "an orchestrated campaign" of welfare fraudsters "travelling between here and Britain".
He said Ireland had become attractive for illegal aliens and the numbers entering were putting a strain on the Department of Justice and social services. "Some of these people: are using residences here as a base of convenience to claim welfare both here and in Britain," he said.
The situation was beginning "to get out of hand" and would lead to increasing tension between the public and members of the international community living here.
