Bertie Ahern steps aside

Sully

Bertie has confirmed that he is not contesting the next General Election. 40 years in politics this week! He was the chap who had a terrible memory with personal finances, but was well able to write a book about his life. He, of course, is part of the reason the country is in such a mess right now.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

One of many sources include:- http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ahern-to-retire-from-politics-487471.html

No shock here, seeing as he wants to take over from Mary in the head office.

eamo12

Sully wrote: »

Bertie has confirmed that he is not contesting the next General Election. 40 years in politics this week! He was the chap who had a terrible memory with personal finances, but was well able to write a book about his life. He, of course, is part of the reason the country is in such a mess right now.

I would say he the reason we are in the mess we're in.

blastman

It's on the Nine O'Clock news now. Good riddance.

bluecatmorgana

eh Am I the only person this is not a surprise to?

hotmail.com

bluecatmorgana wrote: »

eh Am I the only person this is not a surprise to?

It's not a surprise at all, but it's still newsworthy and worth mentioning.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

later12

Of couse not, he would have been financially worse off if he quit after the election.

Mary Harney to be next.

angeleyes

I do hope that he is arrogant enough to run for the Aras - then that waste of space will be in for a rude awakening.

Maybe he might take his own advice and commit suicide! :mad:

NoseyMike2010

If the title "Bertie Ahern steps aside" was your facebook status .... I'd be giving it the 'I like' thumbs up. Delighted he's gone. What a crook!!!!!! Cowboy!

hotmail.com

Not a chance he's going to run for the Park. He might want to, but FF won't allow it. They'll be in opposition and will want to disassociate itself from Bertie.

angeleyes

hotmail.com wrote: »

Not a chance he's going to run for the Park. He might want to, but FF won't allow it. They'll be in opposition and will want to disassociate itself from Bertie.

Interesting argument there hotmail

cavedave

Pretty much everyone involved in the peace process has been glowing about how much work he did to bring about a permanent end to violence on this island.

This as well as his serious failings should not be ignored.

gerryo777

The more of these gob****es that dont run next time the better!
Ok, it'll cost a fortune to pay them their undeserved pensions etc, but if they're not in office then at least they cannot do any more damage to our country.
We need all these clowns away from the controls and while we're at all the so called "top" civil servants ( That job description is a contradiction of terms) should go too. No matter who gets in next time, these so called geniuses will still be there, pulling the strings and feathering their own nests.

NEW BLOOD & NEW IDEAS ARE NEEDED NOW.

Rant over!!!

kumate_champ07

Sully wrote: »

He was the chap who had a terrible memory with personal finances, but was well able to write a book about his life. He, of course, is part of the reason the country is in such a mess right now.

and the fuker had the cheek to claim an artists tax write-off for the book, wasnt it ghost written too?

Fitzerb

I think if we were to have a 360 degree discussion re Berti then people would have to consider the whole picture and not just allow themselves to be brain washed by the Irish media.
Firstly I have some respect for all politicians for two reasons.
1. I put them there…… so did you and if you didn’t then your opinion is diluted.
2. Living in the eye of a totally negative media is difficult. You will never hear of any good news stories about Ireland from the Iris media. It does not suit their cause. Bad news sells better and we still have a significant pocket of the workers party in RTE
Back to Berti:
My opinion of his career:
Some good, some bad but made a contribution to Ireland.
Nobody can doubt his work and commitment to the peace process and while we may be embarrassed waking up each morning knowing we are run by the IMF it is nothing compared to the embarrassment of waking up to the news of women and children shot dead or blown to bits in the name of Ireland. He deserves credit for his work in ending that nightmare.
Bench Marking. He got that badly wrong and it is going to be a serious challenge to unravel it.
Celtic Tiger: Is this Country in a better place now than it was in the late 80’s. I think for anyone who was part of the work force then the answer would be yes. However, he allowed the bubble to grow and should have put the brakes on the developers. Having said that, people who borrowed large sums of money to buy houses to pay the developers also carry some responsibility.
The Mahon Tribunal: We still await a verdict. My view is he lied his way into many corners to cover something. We can all speculate why but I wonder will we ever know.
I do think the affidavit he swore during his separation was a root cause of his lying.
I respect that people really get hot under the collar about politicians not being 100% h9onest in every dealing they conduct, but I don’t expect others to reach standards that I cant reach myself. I apply that to all politicians the only expectation I have is that if they are caught and it is proven then they should resign.
Anyways I would love a 360 degree discussion but lets be balanced and not just be head line readers.

Fitzerb

gerryo777 wrote: »

The more of these gob****es that dont run next time the better!
Ok, it'll cost a fortune to pay them their undeserved pensions etc, but if they're not in office then at least they cannot do any more damage to our country.
We need all these clowns away from the controls and while we're at all the so called "top" civil servants ( That job description is a contradiction of terms) should go too. No matter who gets in next time, these so called geniuses will still be there, pulling the strings and feathering their own nests.

NEW BLOOD & NEW IDEAS ARE NEEDED NOW.

Rant over!!!

I agree with the view that we do now need new blood and younger people in to run the affairs. Again I stress that we all carry some the balme of what went wrong.

marglin

no one can doubt the enormous achievement of ending the violence for good in northern ireland but almost every subsequent action was a complete and utter economic and social failure, not recognised at the time of course, but im sure in the cold light of the history books will be recognised as ruining this country for at least a decade, the one after he left.

flutered

Fitzerb wrote: »

Ah yes Maxxie, I bet you would have done a better job… I mean your intelligence and foresight just flows from your comments. Really makes me proud to know Ireland is still rearing them.

do you really have to shout.

flutered

like a lot of his ilk it would cost him a lot of money to be a td.

Dj

Did he not announce this when he stepped down as Taoiseach?

Good riddance

Seth Brundle

Bertie wrote:

Addressing the O'Donovan Rossa Cumann in Dublin - which he joined 40 years ago this week - Mr Ahern said he turns 60 next September and that he has always maintained he would have retired by then.

Bertie to the Polish Media in October wrote:

He also admitted he was thinking of running for president in 2011.

“I am thinking about this. Now, it’s only an idea, but I wonder about running in the presidential elections.

“Still, I have a lot of time to think about this; the election is not until 2011.”

Hmmmm.
Surely this couldn't be a case of "Liar liar pants on fire", could it?

Bertie wrote:

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said his colleague’s departure from political leadership “truly marks the end of an era”.

Mr Cowen added: “He is without question the consummate politician of our generation in this country.

“He is a person of rare ability and extraordinary talent. He has an immense work ethic and he is a superb negotiator.”

Firstly how can it mark the end of an era if we are left with his useless buddies in charge continuing his damaging work?
Secondly, is Cowen drunk again?

Bertie wrote:

“Ireland is not ’banjaxed’,” he said.

“Ireland is not ’an economic corpse’.”

Given that we shouldn't believe a word from Bertie's mouth, then we are definitely banjaxed and an economic corpse!


Still, the people voted for him!

I guess the revenue commissioners will breathe a sigh of relief as he now doesn't need to keep hassling them for his C2 cert.

1. http://www.breakingnews.ie/text/ireland/eyidqleyqlkf/
2. http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Bertie-Ahern--blames-himself-for-Irish-financial-crisis-105990793.html

baldbear

Bertie should be in Mountjoy for all his rogue dealings.

bernardo mac

marglin wrote: »

no one can doubt the enormous achievement of ending the violence for good in northern ireland but almost every subsequent action was a complete and utter economic and social failure, not recognised at the time of course, but im sure in the cold light of the history books will be recognised as ruining this country for at least a decade, the one after he left.

In time,we will learn the real value and substance of his contribution to the Peace Process.His utter failure in other areas,his prevarication,cunning and obvious self interest cast a dark shadow on any seeming political achievements

bernardo mac

Bertie once claimed he was a socialist,a man of the people....??

RichieC

Blaming everything on the man isn't really fair, though, I do think he's a bit of a gouger. Not a man I have any particular hatred for, though.

eigrod

His legacy to me will always be him telling people to go commit suicide. I hope he is comfortable with himself in the fact that many people did.

Hate him.

Shea O'Meara

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has confirmed that he will not be contesting the next general election and is retiring from politics.

Mr Ahern - who quit as Taoiseach in 2008 - had previously indicated the 30th Dáil would be the last he would contest.
http://news.eircom.net/breakingnews/19101491/

"Now it is time to stand aside, to pass on the baton and allow others to continue the race," he said.

:rolleyes:

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said his colleague's departure from political leadership "truly marks the end of an era".

:rolleyes:

I wonder will he concentrate on the presidency or take a shot at the eurovision?

road_high

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I hope the fcuker has. Just to watch suffer the indignity of loosing would be sooo worth it!

RichieC

eigrod wrote: »

His legacy to me will always be him telling people to go commit suicide.

In fairness, he said he wondered why the moaners and the cribbers didn't commit suicide. slightly less than telling people too. still a ridiculous comment.

oppenheimer1

The man did change the country, which is more than most (all?) posters on this forum have done.

Like every man, his legacy will be mixed as no one is perfect. It will be 30-40-50 years before we can rationally appraise his legacy. With the clarifying perspective of time only then can we determine whether peace on the island or a horrific property crash in a maturing nation has had a greater impact on lives here.

As humanity puts greater empasis on war and peace, I would wager that his legacy will be a positive one, although tainted with allegations of personal impropriety and his handling of the economy post 2003.

Mr.Micro

The little sleeveen will turn up somewhere else that is a certainty. It looks like FF will have many new faces as candidates...maybe even a tactic where the normal FF voter would not have voted for the old FF TD but will embrace the new face? Good riddance to the disgusting face of politics and all the harm than was done. The New Year is looking better already.

Bugnug

Sully wrote: »

Bertie has confirmed that he is not contesting the next General Election. 40 years in politics this week! He was the chap who had a terrible memory with personal finances, but was well able to write a book about his life. He, of course, is part of the reason the country is in such a mess right now.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

One of many sources include:- http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ahern-to-retire-from-politics-487471.html

No shock here, seeing as he wants to take over from Mary in the head office.

Just like all the other FF rats jumping ship. They know that political reform is on the way and their pensions will be hit so they are taking what they can and running. And I don't think this reform will come from any of the other political parties as there is nobody brave enuogh in politics to make the changes. The IMF will see to it and about time.

bernardo mac

I'll wager that history and many with inside knowledge and experience of the political arena in his time will testify that he was, primarily,a self serving phenomenon

Shea O'Meara

RichieC wrote: »

In fairness, he said he wondered why the moaners and the cribbers didn't commit suicide. slightly less than telling people too. still a ridiculous comment.

He also said, 'Why don't you go do something to yourself.'

Liam Byrne

Pity the lying rat didn't resign 10 years ago before he put the Titanic on course for the iceberg @ full steam ahead.

As for the poster who implied that I put Ahern in power - ridiculous statement considering that I wouldn't have voted for the used car salesman in a million years, and I couldn't have anyway because it was only idiots in a suburb of Dublin that had a vote for him.

I also didn't vote for "Bertie's Team".

Then again, most of FF's utterings lately seem to try to blame more people than is accurate, so I'm going to make a New Year's Resolution to ignore such ill-informed crap.

Wide Road

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

The man did change the country, which is more than most (all?) posters on this forum have done.

Like every man, his legacy will be mixed as no one is perfect. It will be 30-40-50 years before we can rationally appraise his legacy. With the clarifying perspective of time only then can we determine whether peace on the island or a horrific property crash in a maturing nation has had a greater impact on lives here.

As humanity puts greater empasis on war and peace, I would wager that his legacy will be a positive one, although tainted with allegations of personal impropriety and his handling of the economy post 2003.

Bertie was a great leader. He won the elections. I know the opposition was weak but you can only beat what's in front of you.
Watch out for the late posters.

Shea O'Meara

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

The man did change the country, which is more than most (all?) posters on this forum have done.

Like every man, his legacy will be mixed as no one is perfect. It will be 30-40-50 years before we can rationally appraise his legacy. With the clarifying perspective of time only then can we determine whether peace on the island or a horrific property crash in a maturing nation has had a greater impact on lives here.

As humanity puts greater empasis on war and peace, I would wager that his legacy will be a positive one, although tainted with allegations of personal impropriety and his handling of the economy post 2003.

Yes, we heard the same about Haughey.
His involvment in the peace process was no more than a caretaker role. All he needed do was smile along while the wrinkles were ironed out.
The man looked after himself and his friends to the detriment of the country. He is a disgrace to Ireland and should in the least be ashamed of himself. I hope in years to come we see him behind bars.
He is far from tainted, he is neck deep in slime.

Mr.Micro

Could it be that he has had a whiff of the imminent publication of the Mahon report and he will not come out of it with smelling of roses? I suspect that may be/is a factor to his retiring and will not be pleasant reading for him or his cronies.

oppenheimer1

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

Yes, we heard the same about Haughey.
His involvment in the peace process was no more than a caretaker role. All he needed do was smile along while the wrinkles were ironed out.
The man looked after himself and his friends to the detriment of the country. He is a disgrace to Ireland and should in the least be ashamed of himself. I hope in years to come we see him behind bars.
He is far from tainted, he is neck deep in slime.

I think its widely acknowledged that he took a great interest and was hugely important in the peace process. He is a great negotiator, lets not forget he concluded the negotiations on the European Constitution, something which wasn't even expected of the Irish presidency.

He would be president of Europe today if it weren't for the questions the tribunals threw up about his personal finances.

galwayrush

Sad news in a way, as it's at least 20 years too late.

hotmail.com

Mr.Micro wrote: »

Could it be that he has had a whiff of the imminent publication of the Mahon report and he will not come out of it with smelling of roses? I suspect that may be/is a factor to his retiring and will not be pleasant reading for him or his cronies.

I don't think that would have anything to do with his decision. Most taoisigh retire from the Dail once they resign from being Taoiseach. They are financially better off if they have retire and they have more spare time to write newspaper columns, books and give speeches.

ilovesleep

Hopefully some day i get my wish and ireland brings back execution. Bertie Ahern will be the first one I'm marching to the top of Croke Fcuking Patrick for a hanging.

steelcityblues

Hope he spends the final years of his life in a prison cell, unlikely as it may be in this two tier country!

Wide Road

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

Yes, we heard the same about Haughey.
His involvment in the peace process was no more than a caretaker role. All he needed do was smile along while the wrinkles were ironed out.
The man looked after himself and his friends to the detriment of the country. He is a disgrace to Ireland and should in the least be ashamed of himself. I hope in years to come we see him behind bars.
He is far from tainted, he is neck deep in slime.

Bertie's mother died during the peace process and he showed his quality and steel by returning during this emotional heartbreak of losing a parent. The amount of lives that were saved cannot be over stated. Thanks Bertie for you and the ****in Peace Process

eigrod

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

He would be president of Europe today if it weren't for the questions the tribunals threw up about his personal finances.

Hitler would've ruled the world were it not for the questions others threw up about his human rights record.

battries not included

Pity he didn't step aside into a moving train!

What a toss*r

Still gets a fat pension & will have his Beamish & Dublin GAA jersey on him in with 'locals' in Drumcondra...:mad:

If FF get back in, it will be a sad day.......

Minstrel27

****er should have retired 15 years ago.

battries not included

Minstrel27 wrote: »

****er should have retired 15 years ago.

Beat me to it! ;)

Mr.Micro

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I think its widely acknowledged that he took a great interest and was hugely important in the peace process. He is a great negotiator, lets not forget he concluded the negotiations on the European Constitution, something which wasn't even expected of the Irish presidency.

He would be president of Europe today if it weren't for the questions the tribunals threw up about his personal finances.

Do you seriously think he has any ethics? He in hindsight was a totally unsuitable candidate for the Presidency of Europe. What a lucky escape for us all. I dispute his contribution to the peace process as well. He just happened to be Taoiseach. If the IRA and the other parties were not interested in a deal it would not have happened no matter who was negotiating.....and Ahern is just a buffoon more like likely to start a row than cut a deal.

Fitzerb

eigrod wrote: »

His legacy to me will always be him telling people to go commit suicide. I hope he is comfortable with himself in the fact that many people did.

Hate him.

This was a dreadful comment he made, but one he apologised for.
Do we really want a society where people are afraid of making a mistake that is never forgiven. If we do then nobody will ever take a chance. You cant judge years of work on a mistake and I sure hope mine working life is not remembered for one (of the many) mistakes I have made
Perhaps you have good reason for feeling bitter because of the comments but do you really think he was telling people to go and commit suicide

battries not included

Fitzerb wrote: »

This was a dreadful comment he made, but one he apologised for.
Do we really want a society where people are afraid of making a mistake that is never forgiven. If we do then nobody will ever take a chance. You cant judge years of work on a mistake and I sure hope mine working life is not remembered for one (of the many) mistakes I have made
Perhaps you have good reason for feeling bitter because of the comments but do you really think he was telling people to go and commit suicide

Yes.