The Government should ease off on the scaremongering that has been a hallmark of its Fiscal Treaty referendum campaign so far. By Paul Murphy.

Enda Kenny’s Chuck Norris moment - whereby he encouraged us to vote Yes in order not to “kick the future in the face” - gave a comical aspect to the scaremongering of this government, but it underlined a very serious point. In the absence of the usual ‘social Europe’ figleafs in the Fiscal Treaty, the Government’s argument will rest overwhelmingly on fear. This fear essentially comes in two different forms – a general fear about the country’s position within Europe and our membership of the euro and EU – and a specific fear about access to funding for a so-called ‘second bailout’.

Michael Noonan's announcement last week on the promissory note deal is cause for a deepening pessimism about what is happening to this society. By Vincent Browne.

So now we know for certain: the Government is not seeking a fairer sharing of the cost of fixing Ireland's broken banks and is not seeking to require senior bondholders of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide to share the cost of recapitalising these troubled financial institutions.

The Government is satisfied merely to seek a reduction in the interest payments - or to seek a deferral of instalments on the massive bank debt inflicted on the Irish people.

Referring to “considerable public and political unease” about the fact that Denis O’Brien “has continued to pop up at various public events, most recently at the New York Stock Exchange” (alongside Taoiseach Enda Kenny), Minster for Social Protection Joan Burton told the Dáil today that “It is perhaps time for the Government to reflect on how it should in future interact with people against whom adverse findings have been made by tribunals.”

She also said, “We do not want to return to the days of, ‘uno Duce, una voce’, the immortal phrase which the former Fianna Fáil press secretary P.J. Mara, used to describe Charles Haughey, nor do we want a Berlusconi style media-political complex with its attendant codes of omertà undermining the principles of transparent democracy.”

She also described the lasting effects of planning corruption in Co Dublin, saying: 

"Communities paid on the double under the Fianna Fáil regime for sites for schools and other infrastructure. The developers picked up the options on sites that would become schools for next to nothing. The land was then rezoned and by the time the school site was purchased the price had risen to more than €500,000 per acre. In many of the schools in Dublin West, children are urged to walk during play time because there is no space for playing and running. That is the price the children of developed areas around County Dublin, including my constituency, continue to pay."

Read the full text of Burton’s statement on the Mahon tribunal below. 

Power, ambition, conceit and deference lead us to deny that which is obvious, but which doesn't suit our own interests. By Vincent Browne.

Many years ago there was an emperor who was exceedingly fond of beautiful new clothes. He had a robe for every hour of the day, spent all his money on clothes and spent most of his time changing from one outfit to another.

One day two charlatans came to his kingdom, saying they were expert weavers who used the finest and most exquisite cloths and who had a unique speciality. They could compose the finest attire – attire that was invisible, but only to those who were not fit for the office they held.

It wasn't just Fianna Fáil who didn't want to confront Bertie Ahern on his finances back in 2007. By Vincent Browne.

We knew before the 2007 general election that Bertie Ahern's explanations for the tens of thousands of pounds sloshing through his bank accounts, the steel safes in St Luke's and in his ministerial office at the Department of Finance, and his then partner Celia Larkin's own accounts were lies. We knew that the stories of the house at 44 Beresford Avenue, Drumcondra, were lies. We knew the "digout" stories were untruths.

Take the first of the digouts, the €22,500 given to him after Christmas in 1993, a few months after his marriage separation agreement had gone through the courts.

The report of the Mahon Tribunal is extremely serious for all who care about public life in Ireland.  The report has wide implications for different parties, groups and individuals.  I am very clear about those implications which relate to Fianna Fáil and those members of the party who betrayed the privilege and responsibility of holding public office

While nearly all of the events dealt with in the report occurred 20 years ago they are still important and must be addressed.  I am determined that my party respond honestly and without hesitation to all the issues and responsibilities arising for us from this document.

Having met with and consulted with the Fianna Fáil officer board, and after giving the principal findings of the Mahon report due consideration, it was agreed that a special meeting of the Fianna Fáil National Executive should be called next Friday 30 March at which a number of specific proposals will be tabled to ensure swift and decisive action by the party in a number of areas.

I now wish to outline my response to the report. 

Below, Bertie Ahern's statement on the Mahon Report, released this evening.

I note the publication today of the Mahon Tribunal Final Report which are not the findings of a court of law.

At the outset, I want to make clear that I have had the great honour and privilege to serve as an elected politician for over 30 years.

I have dedicated my life to politics and serving the interest of the Irish people in politics. I have never accepted a bribe or a corrupt payment.

The Tribunal into Certain Planning Matters was established to inquire into allegations of planning corruption in Dublin.

After spending over a decade of inquiries and countless millions of euros, the Tribunal has not made - nor could it make - a finding to support the scurrilous and untrue allegation that I had been given a corrupt payment by Mr Owen O'Callaghan (the Cork based developer of Quarryvale) or any of his companies.

After the jump, online reaction to the publication of the Mahon Tribunal's final report, published this morning. We'll be updating this throughout the day (refresh the page to see updates).