Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Bertie Ahern to step down?
RTÉ is currently carrying coverage and speculation on an expected statement from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in light of the recent conflicting evidence to the Mahon Tribunal and his legal challenge in the courts. That speculation includes the possibility that he might announce standing down as leader of Fianna Fáil.. Update You can ignore the question mark. Bertie Ahern to tender resignation as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil on Tuesday 6th May. Hmm.. That’s Blair, Paisley, Ahern.. anyone else? Adds In the afterglow of a successful election, in May 2007, Mick grabbed this quote from Bertie Ahern - “I’ll work until May or June of 2012.” And BBC report here with a short clip from the statement [RealPlayer file]. Full statement here. More Reactions. From President McAleese and his expected successor Brian Cowen, and Labour Party Leader Eamon Gilmore [et al]. And Reaction from Tony Blair. The BBC round-up reaction. Heh. Shane Hegarty has a verbatim report “for those who missed it”. Update In the comments zone Conall McDevitt notes an interesting point about Ahern’s chosen resignation date - it’s before the planned US NI investment conference [7th - 9th May] Final Update Via Maman Poulet. That moment in time..
Pete Baker @ 10:28 AM
In fairness, probably the best Taoiseach the Republic of Ireland has had.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 10:55 AMSpeaking on RTÉ now.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 10:56 AMGone after he speaks to the Houses of Congress and visit of Japanese PM.
To resign on May 6.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:01 AMResigning on 6th of May. Great guy.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:03 AMWho’s next to go?
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:05 AMLooks like there’ll be two Offaly men in the White House next Paddy’s Day!
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:11 AMPete,
The only one left from the time of the Agreement is Adams.
Paisley, Blair, Ahern, Clinton, Trimble, Hume, Ervine, Alderdice, that WC one, McMichael, Bob........all gone.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:16 AMThe people of Northern Ireland indeed owe him a lot for the relentless work he gave towards finding a sticking political settlement.
Good on him and the Irish.
Conversely, that’s why such notions of direct rule and limited joint authority should be disregarded as you just don’t know who will be next or whether they will have as much vested interests in Northern Ireland.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:17 AMA great shame. A great man.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:21 AMIm not going to comment about Bertie beyond two points. He reminded me of those London’s Metropolitan police detectives in the 1960-70s, who whilst appalled by the corruption that was going on around them, never the less turned a blind eye and by doing so gained an advantage for themselves.
If you really wish to know which side Bertie batted for keep an eye on who praises him in the next few days. He may have been a nice man but it is stretching it to say he was a great politician, surly?
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:30 AMGave his full weight to peace process.
A Statesman.Delivered three times for his party.
A Politician.Deserves his accolades in the US.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:31 AMMy memory may be dimmed ny alcohol and the passage of time.
I do remember however remember travelling to Tolka Park to watch Leeds play shelbourne(as a result of a postponment in England)
I spent a plesant hour before the game with my protestant friends in the company of Mr Ahern in Fagans Bar
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 11:41 AMAn Accountant and Minister for Finance who didn’t have a bank account ?? (even I had 2 bank accounts at the time and I was a fekin student !)
A man who signed books of blank cheques for Charlie Haughey ??
A man who has his solicitors in the high-court attempting to stop a Government set-up Enquiry into corrution from questioning him on certain statements ??
A man who can’t reasonably account for hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of lodgements to accounts he controlled ??
A man who most certainly was having foreign currency lodged for him yet who denied it continuously ??
A leader of the country who pays his tax 8 years after receiving income (and only of course after he was caught out) ??
Aye, great man and politician alright !! Only in Ireland ! We really are still a backward little country in some ways.
Trust me, in the fullness of time the stink of corruption which surrounds everybodys pal Bertie will become clear to everyone !
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 12:15 PMAlso forgot to mention:
A man who helped himnself to donations to Party Funds (and fully admits it), and a man who gave thirty grand of party funds to his missus at the time to help her buy property (now of course it is claimed it was only a loan - still not paid back after all these years of course !).
He must think that we’re all completely fuckin stupid !
And we must remember of course that this is just the tip of the iceberg ! Much of Aherns dodgy dealings we may never find out about as he liked to deal in cash only.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 12:36 PMderrydave,
no one is perfect, have a heart ;)
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 12:37 PMNot good that he is leaving before the investment conference in Belfast. Sure sign things are not going well for it.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 12:52 PMDerryDave
Sadly that’s how so many Irish people define a “great politician” otherwise he wouldn’t have been so roundly endorsed in the last general election.
Better the crook you know?
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 12:52 PMAhern did good work but he was no saint so lets line him up against the wall and stone him!
But remember......
He is who is with out sin cast the first stone
Makes him safe from me atleast
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 12:58 PMGood to see him and Mugabe going at the same time. two slimeball leaders of third world countries. But of little interest to anyone here in civilisation.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 01:09 PMEnoch Powell was right when he said all political careers end in failure.
Who will be next to go
Adams?Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 01:26 PMSaddam gone, Bertie gone, Mugabe going. Are there ANY strong men left?
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 01:28 PMThank you Bertie for all you have done for the country and for the poor benighted gobshites of both persuasions in Northern Ireland .
Irish GDP per person more than doubled during Bertie’s term as Taoiseach . The country’s population also increased by almost 800,000.
And now for the succession . Although it looks like Biffo I would not be surprised to see a few other hats thrown into the ring .
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 01:35 PMGreenflag
the only gobshite i have seen here at the mo is youPosted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 01:52 PMSorry moochin I should have referred to specifically the NI ‘political’ benighted gobshites . After all who else but a gobshite would fart around for 40 years over a political and economic backwater like NI? You could of course say that it takes a shower of gobshites to vote for similar representation but I would not go that far . Somebody has to deal with the political excrement and it might as well be a gobshite
I apologise if I have offended . I promise to do better next time
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:32 PMAs no one understands economics then we have to attribute Irish economic miracle to just that - anything else is speculation.
re. Non Iron Deal - Irish were bit part players in deal between Englezes and Provos. He still managed to nearly feck things up by appointing a foreign minister who even the PDs believed to be seriously corrupt.
Re. Alleged Corruption. After his ridiculous crying act on RTE I’m afraid you really have to blame the plain people of Ireland who must have known he was lying trough his teeth and yet elected him.
Clearly FF are not fit for governement and systemic abuse of power at local and national level and with Berty’s statements before the election not holding water the Plain people of Ireland should be given the chance to put things right with another election.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:59 PM
