Gene Kerrigan, in form, as ever:
In the real world — imagine it’s your home or mine — suppose you’re asked how come thirty grand in sterling ended up in your account.
Imagine explaining that to your partner, let alone a tribunal.
In Bertieland, when thirty grand in sterling ended up in his account he said, “I had some cash saved, so I bought sterling to pay this guy back, then I decided I didn’t have to, so . . . ”
And then he’s told that can’t be true, because in that period no one bought that amount of sterling. So, he says, maybe he bought it in installments, at different banks.
Which ones? Well, maybe he didn’t buy it, maybe he was busy so he got someone else to do it. Who? Can’t remember.
Imagine that conversation in your house. You’d be in big trouble, right?
In Bertieland, Brian Cowen totally believes that story. Not a blush out of him. Brian Lenihan is convinced. Mary Hanafin, Micheal Martin — not a dickybird from any of them. In Bertieland, this story is entirely unremarkable.
Yet, despite this supine adulation from his peers; despite his €38,000 rise; despite having 10 years to implement his political agenda, Mr Ahern continues to whine.