Developer paid for Ahern’s Man U junkets

Irish Independent
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was a paid-for guest of a controversial Manchester businessman on at least two occasions around the time he received a stg£8,000 ‘gift’ when Minister for Finance.
Mr Ahern was entertained at football matches at Old Trafford by the millionaire developers of a proposed gambling casino in the former Phoenix Park racecourse.
The group was led by businessman Norman Turner, who wanted to build a £375m stadium, hotel and casino on the site.
In May 2000, a senior Government source confirmed the Taoiseach had travelled to “two or three games” at Manchester United’s ground, Old Trafford, as a guest of Mr Turner and his Sonas Centre company prior to the 1997 general election.
On Thursday, Mr Ahern said of his trip to Manchester in October 1994: “I paid myself as I always do, except when I did a St Patrick’s Day, I think, a few years go.”