Ahern repays controversial loans

Mr Ahern denied he had broken any code of conduct

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has repaid controversial loans he received from friends when he was finance minister in the 1990s.

The Fianna Fail leader has written cheques to the 12 people, totalling more than 90,000 euros (£61,000; $114,000), party officials said.

Mr Ahern said he was lent the money in 1993 and 1994 to pay costs during his marital separation.

Details of the loans were revealed in the Irish Times newspaper last month.

Mr Ahern, 55, came under pressure to explain why the loans, given by business acquaintances, had not been paid back.

He said he had offered several times to repay the loans, but his lenders had refused to take the money back.

The prime minister is set to face further questions in parliament on Tuesday.

News of the loans was leaked from confidential meetings between Mr Ahern and a state inquiry investigating planning irregularities in the Irish capital, Dublin, in the 1990s.