A sculpture poking fun at Bertie Ahern at the Mahon Tribunal was snapped-up by the son of the renowned inquiry chief Judge Alan Mahon as a Christmas present for his father.

The piece, which depicts the former Taoiseach with brown envelopes sticking out of his pocket, is around a foot in height and had an asking price of 895 euro at Dublin's Gallery Zozimus.

It was part of an exhibition, Frolitics and Econocomics, by Sligo artist Brigit Beemster designed to cast a wry look at Irish life and to reflect her frustration with the country's leaders.

The Mahon Tribunal probing planning corruption finished taking evidence after 10 years in October 2008 and a cost of 300 million euro.

Mr Ahern, one of the state's longest serving leaders, was its most high-profile witness as barristers painstakingly probed his financial affairs in the early 1990s and allegations he received payments from a property developer.

Stretching over several days between September 2007 and September 2008, his evidence caused huge political controversy and sparked massive public interest.

Although he denied any wrongdoing, the tribunal's revelations and Mr Ahern's conflicting explanations for irregularities in his personal finances led to his shock resignation announcement in April 2008. Judge Mahon's report is still expected.

Other sculptures at the gallery included one of an elderly man and woman stripped to their underwear representing the suffering of the elderly through cutbacks and pension losses.