Bertie's Money

**Macy** · 27/09/2006, 10:57 AM

Bertie was laughable last night with his crocadile tears. How can it be a loan, if you've never paid any interest or the capital back?

Has to be serious questions about the tax. No reason why a Minister for Finance, earning �70,000 a year couldn't have easily got a loan for that amount. And if not then, he could have insisted on paying back the loan in the mean time.

His blather about appointing people because they were his friends not because of donations is just bizarre - sure never mind them being the best for the job.

No one seems to want to get into it, and the actual personal issues around the seperation is irrelevant, however, could he have issues in the family court too? Not sure of the process, but I would've thought that any settlement would've been based on his income and assets at the time, which he had just increased by �40k...

**Macy** · 27/09/2006, 11:12 AM

It appears at least one on the list was a mutual friend of Bertie and Frank Dunlop...

http://www.irishelection.com/09/bertie-12-apostles/

**drinkfeckarse** · 27/09/2006, 11:36 AM

So he gets a "loan", doesn't pay any of it back or pay any tax on it and appoints friends to high powered positions

In any other profession that would classed as corruption...simple as.

Off course being politics though, they will find a way of claiming it is all above board.....

**pete** · 27/09/2006, 12:22 PM

I would say at this stage the opposition parties can't believe their luck. I think FG didn't comment on the interview last night - probably so much rich pickings they want to ensure they used to maximum political gain.

It may seem like a small matter but political careers have been destroyed on lesser details. The more i think of i could see him resigning over this if drags on much longer.

Charges so far:
- Did not pay taxes on gift
- Appoints people to state positions because they are friends.

**Schumi** · 27/09/2006, 12:28 PM

My mouse slipped and I voted loan instead of gift by mistake. Can someone change it please?

**Lionel Ritchie** · 27/09/2006, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

My mouse slipped and I voted loan instead of gift by mistake. Can some one change it please?

I was about to ask could the two people who voted 'loan' explain their logic. But seeing as you've cleared that up .... that just leaves...

**noby** · 27/09/2006, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I would say at this stage the opposition parties can't believe their luck. I think FG didn't comment on the interview last night

Enda Kenny said something on the late news alright, but I'm sure they're saving up the best for today.

**Billsthoughts** · 27/09/2006, 1:05 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

His blather about appointing people because they were his friends not because of donations is just bizarre - sure never mind them being the best for the job.

...

Am glad someone else noticed this. my jaw dropped when I heard it. surely he just admitted to appointing people on the basis that they were his mates? does this not open up a whole new problem for him?
he actually came accross as someone who was lying and he had something to hide. very bad performance.

**Vitruvian Man** · 27/09/2006, 1:20 PM

Ivor Callelly got the (Bertie Sponsored) shaft because one of his "friends" painted his house.

**pete** · 27/09/2006, 1:22 PM

He would have been better to keep his mouth shut about his state appointees & just say was a gift he forgot to declare for tax...

Then again i love the quote "...I know the tax laws as I am an accountant..."

Well clearly he not a very good accountant is he...

**wws** · 27/09/2006, 1:26 PM

havent read the whole thread but did anyone else notice how phoney the "holding back the tears" bit was ?!?!?!

talk about contrived

I could just see it now - Mara, Bunny Carr, Terry Prone all surrounding the g0b****e and saying - "if he asks any awkward questions - play the seperation card - and you gotta sell it - ure trembling hand and attempt at tears will save you!"

even at that it looked utterly unconvincing - Ahern hasnt a sincere bone in his body!

**pete** · 27/09/2006, 1:29 PM

I only came into half way through at 9pm but my first thought was "...is he crying...?"

Originally Posted by wws

I could just see it now - Mara, Bunny Carr, Terry Prone all surrounding the g0b****e and saying - "if he asks any awkward questions - play the seperation card - and you gotta sell it - ure trembling hand and attempt at tears will save you!"

I suppose that explains what he been doing over the weekend...

Those non-stick teflon pans are great but once the first bit of the teflon scratches off not much use left in them...

**Lionel Ritchie** · 27/09/2006, 2:59 PM

Just watching him on Oireachtas.ie and he's trying to eat time repeating ad nauseum the allegations he's had to fend from the mahon tribunal.

repeating his assertion that these are loans and that there's interest due on them.

**First** · 27/09/2006, 5:49 PM

[QUOTE=drinkfeckarse;541134]Why would a leading politician need a "loan" to cover his separation costs?? He was hardly skint.....

I take it you havent gone throgh the separtion/ divorce then. You realise how quickly you can become skint.

**Kingdom** · 27/09/2006, 6:38 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

My mouse slipped and I voted loan instead of gift by mistake. Can someone change it please?

Believe it or not I did something similar. Used the shift and space bar too quickly. I did mean to choose gift. Can this be changed please mods?
Ta

**Student Mullet** · 27/09/2006, 6:44 PM

I voted gift because a loan that you don't have to pay back is clearly a gift.

More important though is what the tax law says. If he broke the tax law he has to go, without any question. The tax person on primetime last night said that there wouldn't be any tax due and Bertie said the same so maybe that's true. If he didn't break the law, then the opposition is on much weaker ground.

**Noelys Guitar** · 27/09/2006, 9:23 PM

You couldn't make this stuff up. For those old enough it sounds like a corrupt Camberwick Green. Windy Miller, Mickey the Baker and now Paddy the Plasterer. Not forgetting Bertie the Bluffer!

**Ash** · 28/09/2006, 8:23 AM

Saw Charlie Chawke on the news the other day saying it was a loan and
Bertie offered to pay it back many times but he refused. When the news
reporter suggested that that was in essence a gift he denied it as Bertie
offered to pay it back, so it was a loan in his mind.
That was the 1st time I've ever seen this Chawke guy and he seems a
proper tool. Abeit a rich proper tool !!!

He then went on to say if Bertie wanted to pay it back now he'd take it.
I suppose that would get around the whole loan/gift. I think it was �2,500 punts

**pete** · 28/09/2006, 9:40 AM

gift –noun
1. something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.

loan -noun
2. something lent or furnished on condition of being returned, esp. a sum of money lent at interest: a $1000 loan at 10 percent interest.

We now have a Taoiseach who doesn't understand the different between a loan and a gift & a person who when Minister for Finance either was unaware of tax law or broke that law.

(If anyone wants their vote changed PM me...)