Hostilities at the top of the Irish political leadership have flared up as the row over Irish leader Bertie Ahern’s personal tax irregularities intensified between the prime minister and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, the leader of the opposition.
On a visit to South Africa, Ahern told reporters in Cape Town that Kenny had knowingly told ‘a bare-faced lie’ on the issue of his personal taxes, The Irish Times reports.
Kenny said:‘This is much too serious a matter, when the Taoiseach of our country is unable to produce a tax clearance certificate and be compliant with the Revenue Commissioners.’
The issue will be discussed at the Fine Gael frontbench meeting this morning. Senior party sources said the meeting would again discuss the possibility of making a formal complaint about the prime minister to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) but views were mixed as to whether the front bench would proceed with what some see as a high-risk initiative.
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