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 @ 09:28 AM
What a crying shame a decent oul skin hounded out office by the mdeia and the opposition only over a few highly questionable financial transactions.
Ha!
Good riddance.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:10 PMAhern has done a lot for the people of the ROI but his financial misdemeanors which portrayed his party in a negative way.
It’s a pity McAleese wouldn’t go too.
[Play the ball - edited moderator]Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:27 PMDoes this mean the end of the Mahon Tribunal?
Was it investigating Bertie Ahern or the Taoiseach?Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:31 PMThis is bad news for the opposition parties. They can’t claim any credit for having gotten rid of him and it enables Fianna Fáil to ditch a figure who has become something of a liability (and in plenty of time for the local elections). The public have a short memory when it comes to FF corruption. One corrupt figure exits and the party says ‘That’s all in the past, we’ve cleaned up our act now.’ Haughey is disgraced, Ray Burke is disgraced, Ahern is disgraced and we go on to the next generation.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:33 PMYou know, given that bertie’s away to spend his money I’d be inclined to agree that Mr Adams will soon be spending a lot more time hugging trees in Donegal.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:43 PMOnwards to the Platonic Republic!!
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:48 PMI do not think that my comment should have been edited as what I had stated was in fact the truth - she did compare the Protestant people of Northern Ireland to Nazis so I don’t see why this part of my comment should have been removed!
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 02:51 PMHe became leader of FF in 1994 at a time when the Republic was still an economic backwater and the north was still in flames. He leaves office with the country prosperous to a degree that would once have seemed impossible, with what should be a stable peace in the north, and can claim to have been instrumental in achieving both.
Quite simply the finest political leader to have emerged from these islands in recent decades.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:01 PMsenseandsensibility me thinks you are just looking to be offended. Sure where there is smoke there is fire, 20,000 refugees. Burning of the Falls over the removal of a Tri Colour.
Worse, still at it today with attacks in Central Belfast on innocent Man, after a game of football that your tribe won.
Senseandsensibility have we not learned anything from our shared history or are we doomed to repeat the mistakes.Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:02 PMInteresting that no-one has been talking about his role in Europe, where he performed very skillfully.
A consumate politician, in touch with popular sentiment, from appearing on TV to talk about Man United to reinaugurating the 1916 marches. And, ironically, one of the least personally corrupt of that generation of FF politicians.
But still a disgrace that he was relected. And he should have gone before now. The question is, was he the last one with skeletons in the closet. And not just in FF.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:24 PMnosenseandnoability it seems you are completely unaware of President mcAleese’s comments, so i’ll oblige you
“But they gave to their children an irrational hatred of Jews, in the same way that people in Northern Ireland transmitted to their children, an irrational outrageous hatred, for example, of Catholics, in the same way”
Now please show where she said that Protestants were like Nazi’s.
It seems a lot of unionists jumped down her throat after her making this historically accurate comment. Their reaction was quite revealing, claiming it was a slur on all protestants which it self-evidently wasn’t. I wonder why they screamed so loud, perhaps to try and drown out the Kernel of truth in her comment. after all nobody likes to be reminded of skeletons in their closet, especially by an uppity Taig.Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:46 PMGaribaldy
Good point. He achieved an importance in Europe disproportionate to Ireland’s size - another huge achievement.
So, in terms of Bertie’s performance:
the economy, the peace process, Europe, the EU presidency, relations with Britain and America, relations between the Irish state and unionism, immigration, education and research - all brilliant.
He had three crushing election victories and leaves FF well positioned for further success and poised for historic organisation in the north - so as well as being the greatest Taoiseach, he is also probably the greatest leader Fianna Fáil have ever had.
In the debit column, there was the issue of Shannon refuelling, little improvement for huge spending on health, and of course his personal finances.
Law and criminal justice is a mixed bag.
All in all though, to use that much-overused word, a genuinely great man.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:46 PMSenselessandinsensitive
No she compared your home educational policies and well…
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:48 PMWith regards to trying to be offended - the term “tribe” is highly offensive!!
I will reiterate what I had said about Mr Ahern -
he did a lot of the ROI.He led his country well and it is unfortunate that his reputation has been dampened by alleged financial goings on.
With regards to McAleese she is in no way comparable to Mr Ahern and her comment about Protestants does not portray the general consensus of the people of the ROI!
I hardly think this is a case of looking to “be offended” But yes her comments were offensive, although the actions of some “Protestants” were incredibly wrong there was no need to tar us all with the same brush!
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:51 PMMr Ahern is a very capable politician and led his people well.
Since 1994 the economy of the ROI has been the strongest it has been in a long time.
With regards to senseandsensibilty it is a shame about the alleged financial affairs situation.
Allthesame he has done a lot for his people and will be remembered fondly from those in the republic.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:57 PMDid no Catholics teach their children an irrational outrageous hatred of Protestants?
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 03:58 PM‘and her comment about Protestants’
Im going to turn and talk to the wall now.......
On thread, I sincerely wish Mr Ahern all the best for the future. He shouldn’t bother with the potential Euro post. Instead it should be sombrero and sandals time for Bertie, he could turn his hand to writing novels like his daughter.........and Jeffery Archer...oops.
I believe the Bertie’s record is overwhelmingly tipped in the positive, and history will judge him according to this bigger picture, and not based upon his bar tab at Fagans.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:09 PMSenseandsensibility
“...although the actions of some “Protestants” were incredibly wrong there was no need to tar us all with the same brush!”
She didn’t do any tarring, though a lot of unionist commentators leapt at the chance to pretend she did. In fairness, her statement was incomplete (as it lacked the usual “both sides” caveat) but it was accurate, as far as it went.
Garibaldy
“Did no Catholics teach their children an irrational outrageous hatred of Protestants?”
They did, but that’s neither here nor there, in terms of what President McAleese said. Her statement might have been incomplete and one-sided, but it wasn’t wrong.
And she apologised the very next day for the incompleteness of the statement.
Funny enough, the invented “controversy” surrounding the President last week was a similar thing - the President is asked a question and, as per her constitutional duty, she falls in with the government line. Cue howls of unionist outrage about President McAleese “intervening” or “interfering” etc.
In truth, the subtext is unmistakable:
“Who does this bitch from Ardoyne think she is?”
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:11 PMActually Billy, I think that constitutionally she should have said that was a matter for the government, and not for her as President. Or even something bland like I hope to see her there as soon as possible.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:19 PMJoeCanuck,
Does this mean the end of the Mahon Tribunal?
Was it investigating Bertie Ahern or the Taoiseach?It is investigating corruption in planning and is interested in finding out who made payments and who received them.
http://www.flood-tribunal.ie/asp/Detail.asp?ObjectID=310&Mode=0&RecordID=357
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:22 PM‘think that constitutionally she should have said that was a matter for the government’
do you mean she is bound by the constitution not to offer a reply?
C’mon Garibaldy, McAleese isn’t one for bland statements. And what she done was re-iterate the govt line, so I don’t see the crib !
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:25 PMThe point of the President is to offer bland, apolitical statements. As for parroting the government line, it’s not for her to do that on hospitals or education or anything else. So don’t think that she reacted the way she should have here.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:32 PMBilly Pilgrim
“He became leader of FF in 1994 at a time when the Republic was still an economic backwater and the north was still in flames. He leaves office with the country prosperous to a degree that would once have seemed impossible, with what should be a stable peace in the north, “
The Irish governement had feck all to do with peace in the north - berty just had to nod oblingingly as the British handed back some control of Non Iron to the republic and its fellow travellers the Northen Nationalsits. It is also arguable that Berty missed out on a few tricks here - particulalry equalising the tax rates north an south.
re. The economy - many FGs and PDs will say that ‘it was us what done it’. American and European money would have arrived here as long as we had a pro-western government with low taxes and were an English speaking country in the EU.
If you want to give credit then although I hate to say it, the PDS probably are most responsible
for the tax reduction or the PDS mentor Maggie Thatcher.But what we can say with much more certainty is that he is the latest in an inglorious line of FF politicians who have the lowest standards of any governement (central and local) in Western Euope and the gobsheens that voted them in hopefully wise up and vote them out now that the fear of house price deflation has turned in to a reality.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:46 PMGaribaldy
“The point of the President is to offer bland, apolitical statements.”
No, the point of the President is to be the head of state and to represent the state when meeting with other heads of state and foreign dignitaries, either at home or abroad.
In this instance, President McAleese neither added nor subtracted even the tiniest detail from the government position. She simply replied to a question, giving the same formula that the Taoiseach had spelled out a couple of weeks before - though interestingly, the Taoiseach did not provoke any unionist outrage, even though it was HIS position, not the President’s.
“As for parroting the government line, it’s not for her to do that on hospitals or education or anything else.”
It’s well within her competence to refer to government policy. Furthermore, a state visit to the Republic by the Queen would clearly be a matter of specific relevance to the President (in terms of diplomatic protocol, the Queen would be there as the personal guest of the President), so she was particularly within her rights to refer to the government policy.
The unionist “outrage” is all about where the President is from, nothing more.
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:50 PM“He is who is with out sin cast the first stone’
Or without article 2 etc ;)
Posted by on Apr 02, 2008 @ 04:54 PM
