Dermot Ahern not running in next election

jamieh

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1130/ahernd.html

mike65

Just listening to Newstalk discussing this, very handy number for Ahern - when a minister retires from his post and the Dail he get to pick up his full range of pensions in full immediately.

No loss for public office.

Dempo1

Good riddance to this smug Buffoon. I suspect his decision is more to do with his Pension pot than any real commitment to his constituency, i also suspect he would not have been able to stomach Gerry Adams entry into the election race whom may likely get a higher percentage vote (not that this would make me happy)

At last, this FF shower are beginning to crumble at the seams!

Tipp Man

Very surprised by this i have to say. I thought he might even had eyes on the leadership, but I have no idea of the inner workings of FF

gflood

The rats are jumping ship before their pensions and other perks are cut in the budget. He is not the first and wont be the last wait you see. These FF scum are cowards and a disgrace to the people of Ireland.

Southsider1

Tipp Man wrote: »

Very surprised by this i have to say. I thought he might even had eyes on the leadership, but I have no idea of the inner workings of FF

I'd say it's two fold. The prospect of him getting his arse kicked by Gerry Adams can't have been appealing and also he stands to get a huge whack of cash by going now. A great servant of the people:rolleyes:

Dempo1

Tipp Man wrote: »

Very surprised by this i have to say. I thought he might even had eyes on the leadership, but I have no idea of the inner workings of FF

I was not too surprised, Ahern was apparently thrown to the wolves to lie to the nation about this bail out, recent opinion poles suggested he had as much chance of getting elected as leader as homer Simpson. I also suspect he won't be the last high profile ff to call it a day knowing whats coming in the new year. It appears serving ministers have a lot more to gain by retiring as opposed to being re elected at TD status. I heard on news talk Ahern is claiming personal illness as one reason for his decision.

Sir Oxman

No loss to this country at all, though the copious amounts of State cash this buffoon will pocket will be a loss to the country.
According to himself, he's been diagnosed with a 'painful, medical condition' (brass necks can be very sore)

Who does that leave now at the forefront of taking over FF - Hanafin, the school-marm is in danger of being booted by the electorate and Martin, who was in danger of seat loss but will probably get a sympathy vote over the tragic death of his daughter recently.
And then there's Lenihan...

Maybe the country will get a Cowen/O'Dea dreamticket...who knows

yop

A rat, nothing else to describe it. He knows well he will get hammered in the election and is spineless to fight for it.

Good riddance to the rat pit which is the Aherns.

gflood

oh and I wonder what other excuses we will hear in the coming weeks. Ahern has used the good old illness one.

efb

Dermot, as the man that faced down the tirade of bull from Senetor Mullen et al in the Seanad, and pushed through the Civil Partnership Bill, you were my minister of 2010, (not that there was much competition), but Biffo and Lenny hung you out to dry on the IMF/ECB talks.

The Bootboy has left the building...

Lapin

Its looking good for Gerry Adams in Louth now.

mike65

Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosed 18 months ago.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Blasphemy law and the banning of headshops.

Hes a interfering sort this Ahern.

Sunnyisland

Good riddance,

Sunnyisland

The fianna fail party is starting to crumble and hope fully he wont be the last ,

happyoutscan

Good riddance to him.

gandalf

It is interesting that one of those a few years ago who was being tipped as the next leader is more or less skulking away because he is afraid of facing the electorate. I guess this means that Gerry Adams is a definite to get elected now. Nice legacy Dermot.

Dannyboy83

I can only hope that his government colleagues will share his good sense and surrender to their fate.
Even Michael Martin is facing wipeout.

I hope Noel Dempsey will try to take leadership because then Fianna Fail will be truely doomed.

Fuhrer

This is very unfortunate.


Im being robbed of an opportunity to not vote for him again.

R P McMurphy

Was a great FF Minister. Was to the fore in trying to micro-manage aspects of citizens' lives while the basic management of the country was non-existant

worm_tongue

gambiaman wrote: »

No loss to this country at all, though the copious amounts of State cash this buffoon will pocket will be a loss to the country.
According to himself, he's been diagnosed with a 'painful, medical condition' (brass necks can be very sore)

Who does that leave now at the forefront of taking over FF - Hanafin, the school-marm is in danger of being booted by the electorate and Martin, who was in danger of seat loss but will probably get a sympathy vote over the tragic death of his daughter recently.
And then there's Lenihan...

Maybe the country will get a Cowen/O'Dea dreamticket...who knows

Think you should be ashamed of yourself with comments like this. Deriving pleasure from individuals medical conditions and personal losses is disgusting.

Riddle101

Fianna Fail, are really falling apart aren't they. If things keep going the way they are, I suspect Fianna Fail will become irrelevant in the future with Fine Geal and Labour dominating Irish politics, unless a new a party is created. Or Fianna Fail reform with a new class of politicans.

I mean the way I see it. Dermot Aherne is out, I suspect Brian Cowen will stand down and retire from politics if he isn't voted in again. Brian Lenihan I don't suspect will stick around either, and I think other will start to leave as well, until there are only a handful of politicans left.

Bullseye1

Is this a reflection of our society as a whole? Are we all going to give up? It is a surprise that he has indicated that he won't be running as it was believed that he and Michael Martin were in the running for leadership. Maybe he put some feelers out to see what his numbers where. If he wasn't going to be leader what is the point. He has been pretty vocal through this whole mess while MM has been keeping his powder dry.

LK_Dave

mike65 wrote: »

Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosed 18 months ago.

....and how long more is he to be on the waiting list to get treatment for his rheumatoid arthritis?

Not as long as I had to wait to get my guns relicensed under his new procedures I hope.

steelcityblues

"Bye Bye Blasphemy Man, Bye Bye!"

raymon

Dont let the door hit you on the way out ! :mad:

Skrynesaver

I suspect a lot of the front bench will retire to spend more time with their pensions.

For the good of their party those associated in the public mind with the destruction of the nation will have to retire, the fact that they don't get their ministerial pension if they are in the Dail as a TD is an incentive for them to get out.

maynooth_rules

efb wrote: »

Dermot, as the man that faced down the tirade of bull from Senetor Mullen et al in the Seanad, and pushed through the Civil Partnership Bill, you were my minister of 2010, (not that there was much competition), but Biffo and Lenny hung you out to dry on the IMF/ECB talks.

The Bootboy has left the building...

You seem to have overlooked the simply disgraceful and laughable blasphemy laws.
I will give him credit for his expenses, he always stayed for free in the Irish embassy on trips abroad

donaghs

Now, how can we reform the disgraceful waste that is our politician's pension system?

Japer

Good riddance to him. A pity the rest of us have to pay his big fat pensions. He and Cowen messed up the country AND he is the one who beneffited. The rest of us are left with property in negative equity and useless bank shares for our pension. I would dance on Aherns grave after the mess he made. Most of his constituents do their weekly shopping in Newry with borrowed money.

Colm R

Once Fianna Fail are out of office, and so many TD's out of seats including ministers, I suspect the gloves will come off over the following months and years. Look out for book deals.

In particular, the lack of disrespect shown by some of these people to Bertie says a lot, when the dogs on the street know they despise him for what his done says a lot.

Expect lots of dirty laundary in public within months of a new government coming in. Which itself is a bad thing, because as much as we need a new government, we also need a new opposition.

Sir Oxman

worm_tongue wrote: »

Think you should be ashamed of yourself with comments like this. Deriving pleasure from individuals medical conditions and personal losses is disgusting.

What pleasure and what shame?
I feel neither in what I posted.
He has a brass neck.

As for Martin, his daughters death was a tragedy and it will influence people in his constituency to vote for him - he was marked as one of the 'senior' FF ministers in line for a shock exit in the next GE.
And that goes for Lenihan as well - do not underestimate the sympathy factor.

Dannyboy83

worm_tongue wrote: »

Think you should be ashamed of yourself with comments like this. Deriving pleasure from individuals medical conditions and personal losses is disgusting.

How was he "deriving pleasure"?
You are jumping to conclusions there.

Riddle101 wrote: »

Or Fianna Fail reform with a new class of politicans.

At best rebranding but with the same corrupt people running the show - like rebranding Anco to Fas to (whatever is coming next)

I mean the way I see it. Dermot Aherne is out, I suspect Brian Cowen will stand down and retire from politics if he isn't voted in again. Brian Lenihan I don't suspect will stick around either, and I think other will start to leave as well, until there are only a handful of politicans left.

Cowen - GONE
Lenihan out - depends on health, credibility destroyed now
Aherne - GONE
Mary Coughlan - LOOOOOOOOLLLLL, To Go
Éamon O Cuív - Needs to start praying, To Go
Micheal Martin - seat under pressure but he has a lot of support and is well liked in Cork - not seen to have gotten his hands dirty so he might keep his seat, McGrath will keep his seat I'd say
Batt O’Keeffe - may be some payback for education fees, don't think his seat is secure
Noel Dempsey - hung out to dry by Cowen/Lenihan, looks like a lackey
Pat Carey - looks incredibly weak, not capable of leadership
Mary Hanafin - Probably the most likely leader at the moment

It looks like it's between Martin and Hanafin.
If Martin stays in, then it will almost certainly be him, by far the most logical choice.

Floppybits

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

Cowen - GONE
Lenihan out - depends on health, credibility destroyed now
Aherne - GONE
Mary Coughlan - LOOOOOOOOLLLLL, To Go
Éamon O Cuív - Needs to start praying, To Go
Micheal Martin - seat under pressure but he has a lot of support and is well liked in Cork - not seen to have gotten his hands dirty so he might keep his seat, McGrath will keep his seat I'd say
Batt O’Keeffe - may be some payback for education fees, don't think his seat is secure
Noel Dempsey - hung out to dry by Cowen/Lenihan, looks like a lackey
Pat Carey - looks incredibly weak, not capable of leadership
Mary Hanafin - Probably the most likely leader at the moment

It looks like it's between Martin and Hanafin.
If Martin stays in, then it will almost certainly be him, by far the most logical choice.

I can see Martin calling it a day. He has been through something tragic in the last few weeks and he may see this as a chance to get out with good money and spend time with his family.

Looking at that list of names there shows a distinct lack of talent at the top of the FF party. I think the woman I heard on the radio the other day saying that generations we lost to immigration in the 80's is now showing itself with a lack of good politicians and talent entering politics. As she said it is still the same old names that are there all the time.

amacachi

Lapin wrote: »

Its looking good for Gerry Adams in Louth now.

gandalf wrote: »

It is interesting that one of those a few years ago who was being tipped as the next leader is more or less skulking away because he is afraid of facing the electorate. I guess this means that Gerry Adams is a definite to get elected now. Nice legacy Dermot.

Adams was always going to get elected anyway.


On a slightly off-topic note, how many seats are up for grabs in Louth next time? Will it be the usual 4 what with Kirk being the Ceann Comhairle or does he still count as one of Louth's 4 TDs?

EDIT: Just read the craic, Louth would be a good seat for Labour to target now that it's basically a 3-seater and FF's two big guns aren't going to be on the paper.

efb

maynooth_rules wrote: »

You seem to have overlooked the simply disgraceful and laughable blasphemy laws.
I will give him credit for his expenses, he always stayed for free in the Irish embassy on trips abroad

The Blashpamy law was 2009, again, not much competition...

Nodin

Perhaps the penny dropped that he and the rest of the current FF cabinet are 'tainted'....and with something that won't go away.

Sir Oxman

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

At best rebranding but with the same corrupt people running the show - like rebranding Anco to Fas to (whatever is coming next)



Cowen - GONE
Lenihan out - depends on health, credibility destroyed now
Aherne - GONE
Mary Coughlan - LOOOOOOOOLLLLL, To Go
Éamon O Cuív - Needs to start praying, To Go
Micheal Martin - seat under pressure but he has a lot of support and is well liked in Cork - not seen to have gotten his hands dirty so he might keep his seat, McGrath will keep his seat I'd say
Batt O’Keeffe - may be some payback for education fees, don't think his seat is secure
Noel Dempsey - hung out to dry by Cowen/Lenihan, looks like a lackey
Pat Carey - looks incredibly weak, not capable of leadership
Mary Hanafin - Probably the most likely leader at the moment

It looks like it's between Martin and Hanafin.
If Martin stays in, then it will almost certainly be him, by far the most logical choice.

I can see Martin maybe retiring after what happened to his family but if he doesn't and it was a straight choice between him and Hanafin, I'd guess Hanafin would get it.

First woman leader of FF, shafted by Cowen in the reshuffle may give her a hint of FF 'nua' (as if) but she is really under pressure in DL to hold a seat.

There really is no-one in FF to crow about at all, is there?

Sir Oxman

"Perhaps the penny dropped that he and the rest of the current FF cabinet are 'tainted'....and with something that won't go away. "

The pennies have dropped alright - about €100k's worth per annum. For life. From next year.
If I ever get a job again, I'll be working till I'm 68.

PeterIanStaker

His only legacy (for want of a better word) in the minds of many people, will be an antiquated backward blasphemy law that would have earned him a skeletal thumbs up from the corpse of John Charles McQuaid.

The sooner he leaves office the better, so we can get on with undoing the mess he and his FF colleagues plunged us into.

Enjoy the three large pensions Dermot, while people freeze on the streets.

Lemming

gambiaman wrote: »

I can see Martin maybe retiring after what happened to his family but if he doesn't and it was a straight choice between him and Hanafin, I'd guess Hanafin would get it.

First woman leader of FF, shafted by Cowen in the reshuffle may give her a hint of FF 'nua' (as if) but she is really under pressure in DL to hold a seat.

There really is no-one in FF to crow about at all, is there?

I really don't think Hanafin is held in regard by the electorate (Fianna Fail associations not withstanding to dirty that regard further).

As for notions of her riding to power on the crest of some sort of "You go girl!!" ticket is not going to work in the current climate. As the expression goes; money talks & bullsh*t walks.

nordydan

http://www.fiannafail.ie/news/entry/5881

O'Hanlon gone as well. Sorry if has already been posted

Monty Burnz

mike65 wrote: »

Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosed 18 months ago.

Ignorant buffoonery diagnosed long before that.

flutered

run buddy run.

PeterIanStaker

nordydan wrote: »

http://www.fiannafail.ie/news/entry/5881

O'Hanlon gone as well. Sorry if has already been posted

Sorry Ted, I was concentrating too hard on looking holy.

Rebelheart

Just heard Seán O Rourke on the News At One saying Ahern said he's retiring due to health reasons.


Lying until the end. Bastards.

gizmo555

Rebelheart wrote: »

Just heard Seán O Rourke on the News At One saying Ahern said he's retiring due to health reasons.


Lying until the end. Bastards.

You can be sure if there was any prospect of staying in government after the election, he would not find his health as much of a hindrance.

He should piss off back up one of those trees in North Dublin . . .

ednwireland

gflood wrote: »

The rats are jumping ship before their pensions and other perks are cut in the budget. He is not the first and wont be the last wait you see. These FF scum are cowards and a disgrace to the people of Ireland.

same reason mcdaid went, they have no interest in public office just $$$ (or should that be €€€€ )

hotmail.com

He wanted to be FF leader and eventually Taoiseach - knew he wasn't popular within the party and within the country, so he stands down. The "fiction" interview damaged him irrecovably.

These petty excuses about his health do no good for his reputation.

captainbirdseye

gflood wrote: »

The rats are jumping ship before their pensions and other perks are cut in the budget. He is not the first and wont be the last wait you see. These FF scum are cowards and a disgrace to the people of Ireland.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1130/ohanlon.html