The inquiry into political and planning corruption in Dublin refused to accept the explanations offered by Ahern for the quarter of a million pounds of bank lodgements he made in the early 1990s.

He had tried to explain the cash as wins on the horses, dig-outs from friends, unsolicited handouts from 20 millionaires, six years of savings and refusal to use bank accounts.

Neither could he explain why the money was coming in old Irish punts, Sterling and US dollars.

The report concluded: "Much of the explanation provided by Mr Ahern as to the source of the substantial funds identified and inquired into in the course of the Tribunal's public hearings was deemed by the Tribunal to have been untrue."

Tribunal head Judge Alan Mahon reported that he could not rule out or establish any basis in the allegations that Mr Ahern had been paid off by a developer.

I have never accepted a bribe or a corrupt payment.

Bertie Ahern

"I am incredulous that the tribunal has made findings rejecting the evidence of a number of individuals - including a number of friends who loaned me money - whose evidence supported mine," said Mr Ahern

Tom Gilmartin, a property developer, alleged another developer, Owen O'Callaghan from Cork, had boasted about paying Mr Ahern two sums - €50,000 in 1989 and €30,000 in 1992 when he was finance minister.

"Regrettably, the Tribunal's inquiries were rendered inconclusive," Judge Mahon said.

Mr Ahern said Mr O'Callaghan's claims were "scurrilous and untrue" and the tribunal had not made - nor could it make - a finding to support them.

"On this key substantive point there is no evidence whatsoever to show I received anything from Mr O'Callaghan," he said.

"Nor could there be because, put simply, this never happened."

But current Taoiseach Enda Kenny said it was without question that the office of leader of the Irish Government had been stained by Mr Ahern's actions.

"The tribunal speaks for itself - a litany of unacceptable statements from the former taoiseach," Mr Kenny said.

I have never received a corrupt payment and I have never done anything to demean any office I have held.

Bertie Ahern

The 15-year inquiry did not find Mr Ahern corrupt, but found others were, including former minister and European Commissioner Padraig Flynn.

Mr Flynn took IR£50,000 from a developer who felt under duress and coerced. The money was supposedly for the Fianna Fáil party but went towards buying a farm in Mayo.

Although Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds was tipped off about the dodgy deal in 1994 he took no action.

Mr Flynn and three former county councillors also found to have taken corrupt payments face expulsion from Fianna Fáil for conduct unbecoming of the party.

Liam Lawlor, who died in a car crash in Moscow in 2005, was branded corrupt for forcing payments out of Mr Gilmartin as he looked to build around Bachelor's Walk in Dublin city centre.

In a lengthy statement, Mr Ahern said he will continue to examine ways in which to vindicate his name.

The former taoiseach said his personal finances were "chaotic" and during busy and personally traumatic period in his life, but he had never done anything wrong or illegal.

The Government is referring the report to the Garda Commissioner, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Revenue Commissioners and the Standards in Public Office Commission.

The ruling national executive of Mr Ahern's Fianna Fáil party will also meet next week to decide proposals by leader Micheal Martin to expel him and other party members named in the report.

Mr Martin said Mr Ahern had betrayed the trust placed in him by the public and colleagues.

"The receipt by a senior office holder of large amounts of money which a sworn Tribunal has held is of unclear origins and the failure to give any credible explanation requires an unequivocal response," he said.

"No matter how high a member rises within the party and in elected office, they still carry a duty of trust for the members of Fianna Fáil and for the people who elected them."