FOUR CASH lodgements totalling over IR£11,500 that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said were attributable to salary payments appeared to have emanated from sterling exchanges, the tribunal heard yesterday from the former manager of the Irish Permanent Building Society branch in Drumcondra.
And a further £4,000 lodged to the accounts of Mr Ahern's daughters, Cecilia and Georgina, also appeared to have been from sterling exchanges, the manager said.
Mr Ahern had told the tribunal that most of the lodgements to his account in the building society branch in Drumcondra were "pay cheques or cheques that have got me income".
Blair Hughes, former manager of the branch, said he recalled Mr Ahern's secretary, Gráinne Carruth, carrying out some sterling transactions at the branch.
Counsel for the tribunal, Henry Murphy SC, took Mr Hughes through four transactions involving Mr Ahern's account in 1994.
The first, a lodgement of £4,119.59, was made on March 9th, 1994. Mr Murphy said it was made after £4,000 sterling was converted to Irish, producing £4,119.59.
On the same day, two £1,000 sterling amounts were each converted to IR£1,028.40 and the same figures were lodged to the accounts of Georgina Ahern and Cecilia Ahern. The transactions were carried out within nine minutes and by the same teller.
Mr Hughes said that if a third party came in with £4,000 sterling he did not think they would take his money, in case the notes were counterfeit.
On May 9th, 1994, IR£3,518.99 was lodged to Mr Ahern's account. And IR£1,000 was lodged to each of the accounts of Mr Ahern's daughters. On the same day £5,450 sterling was converted to IR£5,518.99. The transactions were again carried out on the same machine by the same teller and Ms Carruth's name was on the lodgement dockets.
"Does it appear from these records that somebody arrived in with £5,450 sterling and was given £5,518.99 Irish and that was distributed. . . between the three accounts?" Mr Murphy asked.
"That would appear to be the case from the documents," Mr Hughes responded. The following day, IR£50.63 was lodged to Mr Ahern's account after £50 sterling had been converted at the bank.
A fourth lodgement, of £3,970.19, was made to Mr Ahern's account on October 28th. On the same day, £4,000 sterling was converted, giving a pay out of £3,970.19. However, there was a time difference of up to two hours between the transactions.
"There are four cash lodgements to Mr Ahern's account on different dates. . . Is it your evidence, Mr Hughes, that these all emanated from sterling sums?" Mr Murphy asked. "Based on the documentation, I would say yes," Mr Hughes replied.
"If you are correct. . . £15,500 sterling was lodged to Mr Ahern's and his two daughters' accounts in the space of eight months," Mr Murphy said.
Hugh Millar, solicitor for Ms Carruth, pointed out that although his client's name was on the lodgement slips produced in evidence yesterday, there was no name at all on the sterling transaction slips. Mr Hughes said he had "formed the impression" at the time that some of the lodgements Ms Carruth made were sterling.
The tribunal chairman, Judge Alan Mahon, noted that Mr Ahern's counsel did not challenge yesterday's evidence.
Counsel for Mr Ahern, Colm Ó hOisín SC, reserved his right to cross-examine Mr Hughes. Judge Mahon asked if it was still Mr Ahern's position that the lodgements in his account were the proceeds of salary cheques. Mr Ó hOisín said he had indicated they needed extra time to discuss the matter with Mr Ahern, since he had been outside the country.
