Bertie Ahern rejoins Fianna Fail

The days of George Redmond in Dublin Corporation.

Staff who didn't play along with him ended up in jobs like Sanitary Services and Training, well away from the Planning Unit.

In later years, George would ring up his cronies and ask them to sign out files under their name and bring them to him. Never enough for anyone to prove anything, but everyone knew something was wrong.

It's true that if you brand somebody as far-right unnecessarily that's exactly what they are going to become over time. Nobody is arguing that subsidising refugees is unsustainable long term. A lot of the Ukrainians especially have skills that could have been used instead of the state paying for them

What you have described is classic dog whistling.

Have you an opinion on what he did?

You seem to be defending his vote getting/dog whistle call it what you want.

He was spreading fake news/conspiracy theories for votes - in your analysis.

You have no opinion on that. Okie doke. I didn't need your analysis BTW, I know exactly what he was doing - dogwhistling. thanks anyway.

I caught a bit of The Week in Politics last Sunday. Instead of saying there's too many white people in the Dail you say there's aren't enough black people in the Dail. That's how you do it Bertie.

De De Bert has no bother with De De immigrants.

Aye his time in power and how his governments laid the groundwork for the crash that followed is what people will rightfully feel aggrieved towards him for. However when it comes to immigration his views are alot in line with what more reasonable people think. Noone has a problem with legal immigrants, what they do have a problem is a huge influx of asylum seekers of highly questionable integrity that dont integrate well or come in such numbers that would diplace a local population significantly. It alienates people and at worst allows the regressive right to get a foothold because the officialdom are too quick to jump on the racist card than deal with legitimate grievances. It also undermines those who immigrate legally too after all the work they do to come here.

Think someone described the best approach to immigration is for it to be a melting pot, just enough that they integrate into society well and people get used to them, not dumping a huge amount in a working class area that feels like they're displacing the locals and causing alienation as a result.

So this might come as news to you but women are actually part of the workforce these days. Maybe you blocked it out of your psyche for the last few decades?

The ones here are predominantly women and children but we also have farmers. And, no, some very highly qualified people have made the journey but we won't issue them work visas for whatever reason

So he's not even sticking to it? That's pathetic, honestly. Everyone has the right to free speech. There's nothing more vapid than saying that you have that right.

Sucking up to? As opposed to what, shouting at the African to get out of Ireland, because he has to be "consistent?"

I happen to agree with what Bertie said as regards African (Congo) immigration, but if I bumped into an African I am going to treat him/her as I would treat anyone else, with respect and manners! And I certainly wouldn't be quizzing him/her on their immigration status!

because specifically Bertie mentioned the Congo. I am not working in immigration, and nor am I a policy maker or politician. We elect officials for this. We place our trust that said officials are doing the best for the citizens of our country. Bertie mentioned Africa and Congo. I agree with him. It’s not complicated. But you will always get some people deliberately obfuscating

But seeing as you mentioned Nigeria and Somali: absolutely in same bracket as Congo

In 2023, 

Somalia ranked 13th out of 54 African countries for criminality

 and had the world's highest score for extortion and protection racketeering, mainly by non-state armed groups like Al-Shabaab and ISS.

Throughout Nigeria there are 

high levels of violent street crime including muggings and armed robbery

. There are frequent reports of carjackings, some involving armed gunmen, on Nigeria's urban roads with rural road networks especially dangerous.

He was trying to attract the vote of a certain demographic (dogwhistling) to the candidate. He might believe he was being clever, he wasn't really. He doesn't have to be overly greased to get a pass on it either. I heard an exchange with a journalist/political pundit on the radio that went something like this:

Journalist/political pundit: There isn't a racist bone in Bertie's body.

Inteviewer; What about what he said about the Congo?

Journalist; Well, I don't know why he was saying that…

Really? 😁