Bertie Ahern - retires

[Kerry Mike]

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has paid tribute to Bertie Ahern, who announced last night that he would not be contesting the next General Election.

Mr Cowen said the announcement marked the end of an era, and he described his predecessor as the consummate politician of his generation.

He said he had always admired Mr Ahern not only for his leadership skills, his great commitment and his outstanding political instincts, but also for his courtesy and kindness to colleagues.

Bertie Ahern announced his intention not to seek re-election to the Dáil during a Fianna Fáil party meeting in Dublin last night.

Mr Ahern told the O'Donovan Rossa Fianna Fáil Cumman that he was proud of what he had achieved in politics.

He said as far back as 2002 he had made it clear he would stand down when he was 60.

With a spring election now due and his birthday in September, he was confirming he would not be a candidate in that election.

On the current crisis, he said Ireland was not, in his words, 'banjaxed' or 'an economic corpse'.

'Ireland is a country of real achievement and yes of real and pressing problems. The truth is that our country will recover. We will regain our stride and we will succeed in holding on to many of the gains we have made together. '

Political career

Prior to becoming Taoiseach in 1997, Bertie Ahern held most of the important cabinet portfolios including Finance, Labour and Industry and Commerce.

His career in politics began at 17 years of age when he joined Fianna Fáil.

He became a TD in 1977 and began to progress up the party hierarchy.

In 1987 he was made Minister for Labour. He later spent periods as Minister for Industry and Commerce and Minister for Finance.

Following the collapse of the Fianna Fáil / Labour Government in 1994, Mr Ahern was elected leader of his party and three years later, he led Fianna Fáil into coalition with the Progressive Democrats.

During his time as Taoiseach he has won acclaim for the role he played in the peace process - helping to negotiate the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

However, his spell in office was plagued by questions about his financial affairs in the 1990s.


Good riddance to him and his cronies, the most devious f**ker this country has ever seen, he should be locked up in Mountjoy. Haughey was right about him, I'm sure his nice hefty pension(s) will ease his pain

[mylestheslasher]

10 years too late unfortunately for the rest of us. I do take pleasure in knowing that the only legacy he leaves is that of a self serving greedy little p***k that ruined the country for a generation. Contrast this with his desire to build a massive sports stadium to leave a positive legacy. I'd say he is not a happy man with the way that turned out for him

[stephenite]

Not a Ahern fan for aforementioned reasons, but had John Bruton continued in office instead of Ahern the peace process might never have taken off. A self serving cnut? Probably, but IMO he deserves the legacy of having facilitated the entry of militant Republicanism to the democratic process and his role in doing so was crucial

[ziggysego]

Not a Ahern fan for aforementioned reasons, but had John Bruton continued in office instead of Ahern the peace process might never have taken off. A self serving cnut? Probably, but IMO he deserves the legacy of having facilitated the entry of militant Republicanism to the democratic process and his role in doing so was crucial

+1

Bruton was an awful bollocks in relations regarding the north.

[Nally Stand]

Have to second Ziggy there. How anyone can regard John Bruton as being a positive influence in the six counties I will never know.

[Rossfan]

Not a Ahern fan for aforementioned reasons, but had John Bruton continued in office instead of Ahern the peace process might never have taken off. A self serving cnut? Probably, but IMO he deserves the legacy of having facilitated the entry of militant Republicanism to the democratic process and his role in doing so was crucial

+1

Bruton was an awful bollocks in relations regarding the north.

+2.
Still Ahern leaves an awful legacy behind in respect of his stewardship of the Country from Good Friday 1998 till he was forced out of office in disgrace in 2008.
Him Harney and Thickcunt McCreevy did some damage to us all.

[Tony Baloney]

Thon boy running for Presidency would be a sick joke.

[Minder]

He will have a bit more time for betting on the harses now.

[mylestheslasher]

Its amazing how people here will actually pick out the good that Ahern did. Bruton may have been useless, but at least he was honest. Lads,Ahern deeds has left the country needing a bailout of probably 150 billion. He and his cronies has fucked up this country for us and our children. They say Hitler was a great family man but if you ask me he was a mass murderer first and foremost.

[Lar Naparka]

He was/is a genius without a doubt.
Unfortunately, for all of us, events in the latter years of his term as Taoiseach have overshadowed his considerable achievements. His genius is flawed but that wasn't apparent when Ian Paisley exaggerated the warmth of his handshake when the pair met at the site of the Battle of The Boyne. To gain Big Ian's trust and at the same time to bring Gerry and Marty in from the cold was no mean feat. For bringing the Peace Process talks to a meaningful conclusion, Ahern deserves great credit.
For me, the Boyne handshake from Paisley was the high water mark of his political career.
But it was a case of downhill all the way after that.
I know a number of the so-called Drumcondra Mafia and I'm quite satisfied that no one in his inner circle of friends knew the full extent of his financial irregularities. It was a terrible letdown for all who knew him to hear him assure the Mahon Tribunal that he had hit it lucky with the horses. It was well-known that he wasn't a serious student of form and only placed a bet occasionally—like when in company at a race meeting or when he was given a tip by a friend. It was
I don't know what the Tribunal will eventually come out with but I bet it won't reveal the real Bertie. Nobody will ever get to know what makes the man tick.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Bertie Ahern is a True Enemy of Ireland.

Bertie Ahern is, was and always will be a C.U.N.T. thats the start and finish of it, argument over.

[Capt Pat]

What a chump he was.

[Pangurban]

There is a lot of people here who are wise after the event. The critizism was very muted when the mythical celtic tiger was roaring

[whiskeysteve]

There is a lot of people here who are wise after the event. The critizism was very muted when the mythical celtic tiger was roaring

Bertie was well shielded by elements of the press for a long time.

[mylestheslasher]

There is a lot of people here who are wise after the event. The critizism was very muted when the mythical celtic tiger was roaring

Which people are you referring to?