Bertie Does it by the Book?
May 3rd, 2007 by Conor McCabe
On Tuesday I wrote about Bertie’s claim that part of the money he received in 1994 was used to settle a stamp duty bill.
I said:
“But stamp duty only applies when there is a house purchase. Bertie didn’t buy the house, so he would not have been liable for stamp duty.
Legislation surrounding stamp duty formed part of the Finance Act, 1994. Bertie was Finance minister at the time, and would have been instrumental in the drafting of the legislation. It is not like he had to go to a financial advisor with regard to whether he was liable or not for stamp duty - he was the minister who wrote the law on stamp duty.So why was his partner at the time bringing £30,000 in sterling into the county to help pay a tax bill that did not exist?â€
Yesterday, by chance, I came across this picture from the Irish Independent, 2 December 1994. It shows a very happy Bertie Ahern, on the verge of becoming Taoiseach, or so he believed. Alas, it was not to be. Dick Spring opted instead for the less scandal-prone Fine Gael/DL rainbow. But take a look at the books Bertie has in his hands. Some bedside reading for the new home?
And here’s a close up of the books for added emphasis:
Very funny that.
People are always filling their new book cases with books they think will impress but which they have not the time or inclination to read.
Bertie probably just grabbed a bunch of books from the library in the Dept of Finance before he was kicked out - yonk! I’d say he didn’t even look at what he was taking.
It turns out that the photo was taken on the day when Bertie knew he was getting £30,000 from Mr. Wall. no wonder he’s smiling.
You couldn’t make it up!