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Thu 09 Sep 2006Tribunal examines payments to TaoiseachA wealthy businessman, David McKenna, has been contacted by the Mahon tribunal about payments to the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. The tribunal is investigating a number of payments to Mr Ahern in or around December 1993, including cash payments, The Irish Times has learned.Mr McKenna is one of three or four persons contacted by the tribunal concerning payments to Mr Ahern totalling between €50,000 and €100,000. The tribunal has been told that the money was used to pay legal bills incurred by Mr Ahern around this time. In a letter to Mr McKenna in June of this year and seen by The Irish Times, he was told the "tribunal has been informed that you made payment of money to Mr Bertie Ahern, TD, or for his benefit, in or about December 1993.