Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said he was not ethically compromised by the arrangements to loan money to Celia Larkin from a Fianna Fáil fundraising account.
He said the money was required to deal with what was then a 'crisis situation'. He said it would have been returned if it was needed. Asked about his knowledge of the payment, he said 'I didn't know about it in advance, but I knew at the time.'
Mr Ahern was speaking to reporters after addressing the Ógra Fianna Fáil conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly.
Earlier Tánaiste Brian Cowen defended Mr Ahern, saying he still has the full support of the party.
In relation to the payment to Celia Larkin, he said there was a particular set of circumstances internally in the constituency organisation. He said it was not a 'run of the mill' the transaction.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said he believes Taoiseach Bertie Ahern should resign after he makes his address to the joint session of the US Congress in April.
His comments follow new revelations at the Mahon Tribunal, where Mr Ahern spent two days in the witness box this week.
