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FORMER TAOISEACH BERTIE Ahern has described the “emotional wrench” of leaving Fianna Fáil as he resigns over the findings of the Mahon Tribunal.
The former party leader again denied any involvement in corruption, and branded the tribunal’s final report “wrong and inaccurate”. He said he was “deeply wounded” by the suggestion that he had given untrue evidence at tribunal hearings.
Writing in the Irish Times today, Ahern reiterated that he would resign from Fianna Fáil before facing a vote on his expulsion this Friday. He wrote:
It is a real emotional wrench. The party has been an integral part of my life for 40 years. I always worked hard and did my level best for Fianna Fáil and for the wider public.
Ahern insisted that his finances had been “chaotic” but “most certainly” not corrupt. “I am sorry if that has caused any confusion or worry in people’s minds,” he added.
He said that he still has “the greatest of respect for the membership of the Fianna Fáil party right across the country.”
Last year, Ahern famously called some grassroots Fianna Fáil members “a bunch of useless good-for-nothings”, accusing them of having “tea parties [...] to discuss the state of the world” rather than working to build up the party vote.
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If Micheál Martin wants any bit of credibility, he should refuse Bertie’s resignation and let go to the Party vote.
If Micheal Martin wants any credibility he needs to go back 25 years and start his political life again. The man is utterly shameless, Bertie knows this and is playing his cards accordingly. He can make life very difficult for Martin if he starts to let things slip to journalists.
Chaotic but not corrupt..yes I’m sure Bertie!!
Yes he is corrupt…i bet 99% of the politician are the same…
Classic FF line, even if your not one
“Sure they are all the same, there is no point in doing anything, we might as well go back to bed or get drunk in the pub. Sure nothing will change, might as well leave FF there, woe is me, woe is me.”
FF became a sumphole for every corrupt and on the make politician for the last 50 years because their voters and membership, backed their brand without reservation or thought. It was engaged in at the highest level of the party and became normal. They were in power almost constantly so why go elsewhere, especially. FF’s level of corruption are quiet unique even at a continent wide level.
Course politics in Ireland needs to be cleaned up, but lets not pretend that FF are the norm, they are not. They are where the majority of crooks went to over the years aided and defended by the membership. Every party in Ireland has kicked out corrupt members, not FF.
Sadly Bertie has come to a stage in his life when he really has no idea what a lie is….. He still denies any wrong doing,makes me laugh that the Irish times are even printing this muck, after all it’s the indo that supports him….. Please just let his saga end with Bertie and Co getting jail time and put it to bed, sick of seeing his puss everywhere.
He probably thinks it’s just the tribunal’s “opinion”.
And dey are entitled to dat !
P.s I hate him
Dear Deluded Bertie, please please please challenge the Mahon tribunal findings in court.
good one!
we should start a fund raising campaign called
‘Justice for Bertie’ (suitably ambiguous title for it!)
Then approach him with a camera crew and inform him
that his legal defence costs will be covered.
Would love to see how fast he’d run, in the opposite direction
I come from an area that is massive FF country. When he said that about the grassroots element of the party,he lost a lot of respect. Remember the church gate collections and fundraising dances in the local hall? The grassroots element is what made FF the corporate machine it is and for him to disown that integral composition of the party was like a stab in the back for lots of FFers I know. This is truly his downfall mind you. Please don’t feel sorry for Bertie when you read this article in the paper today,never forget.
“the grassroots level made fianna fail the corporate machine it is” …….. the corruption, skullduggery,afrontness,thieving, Back scratching, nods and winks,smarminess, wool pulling ,middle finger raising…… That all started at GRASS ROOTS LEVEL!!!!!!!
If this is the case we need to disband these bunch of criminals ASAP
We’ll also never forget the average FF, that backed these shameless bac5ards. Who lauded Haughey, Lawlor, Lenihan, Ahern etc etc. Even though the evidence was there about them.
They backed the party, as if it was a local team. Born to support it, no matter what. No rhyme or reason. How many grassroot FF’ers ever called for a a corrupt member to be expelled. Virtually none.
There is a unique tolerance for corruption in FF’s membership. The only similar case I have heard of is the PRI in Mexico or the Christian Democrats in Italy.
Ahern certainly called a spade a spade when he referred to the average FF member as “useless good for nothings”. He meant it as a compliment though. Crooks and traitors might have been more apt.
He’s doing a tour of the newspapers with his sob story…there’ll be a photo of him reading a statement from a kitchen cupboard in the Star tomorrow…
If you really want to shut him up, stop buying papers that carry interviews with him. I refused to buy the Sindo on Sunday because of his article.
He should be f”"”ked out of the Irish times too, how can people still listen to or read anything this scumbag has to say??
Fair play to you Bertie I’m sure it is an emotional wrench to leave FF , and it has nothing to do absolutely with the little cash cow your on, on the speakers circuit can’t imagine you would get to many speakers engagements being introduced as
“ladies and gentlemen put your hands together for mr Bertie ahern the former Taoiseach of Ireland who has recently been sacked from his own party for corruption”
Poor Bertie….Am I meant to pretend that I care? Who’s he trying to blame for his own greed and stupidity?!
A more realistic quote might be “I did my level best for myself, Fianna Fail and the wider public”. In that order.
Typical party first, country second guff from Ahern.
For Christ’s sake! Does he still think that if he pleads his case loudly enough, people will change their minds? He obviously didn’t rate the Irish people’s intelligence levels, when he stood up at Mahon and told fairy tales! He should be thankful for the tribunal findings! He’d be better off cutting his losses! On another day he would be spending time in jail, and losing his 3 grand a week pension.
Slimey scumbag
The durty back stabin two faced hooer……..oh sorry that’s your one from Tallaghfornia !!!
A prediction.
Bertie challenges the tribunals findings in court. This rumbles on for another fifteen years. He is eventually found guilty but the judge gives him the probation act due to his age and declining health.
He can think what he wants. I know what I think. Time for the state to go after his outrageous pension.
I reckon the only thing that would get to him is he was stripped of his Dail pensions. He’d probably still have Stirling/Dollars/Euros hidden away and I’m sure he’ll have no problem recalling where they’re stashed.
Wouldn’t it be hilarious if he has genuinely forgotten where all his money is stashed away. He got nearly a qtr of a million in 18 mths that the tribunal looked at. He was a TD for nearly 30 years.
Bertie: “blah, blah, blah”
Me: “Shove it up your h*le!! p.s. I Hate YOU!”
He still thinks that using the same aul bladdering gobshite talk will get people to take his side again. Many people were stupid enough to believe this crap before by voting him in 3 TIMES but I think they are a bit more clued into his antics this time round. Take the pensions away from them all.
The minute any one goes near this gobshite with a summons he’ll start singing the “I can’t get a fair trial because of all the adverse publicity”, as will all the rest of them.
SCUM!!!!!
Sweet karma !!!!
farewell Bertie, your still a legend in my eyes, up ff!!
Ah give him a bit of credit people, he did great work for drumcondra I’m told.
News to me!
well said Anton, didn’t hear all these people moaning when times where good!!! Jesus h christ, there’s just no pleasing people, always looking to put the blame at someone else’s feet! if you all put more effort into getting the country out of this hole rather than spending fu#@ing millions on trying to blame someone for it, we would be on the road to recovery now …. BUNCH OF WHINGERS.
@David and @Anton: you didn’t hear all these people “moaning” when times were good? You just didn’t listen.
Here’s a quote from your glorious leader:
‘Sitting on the sidelines, cribbing and moaning is a lost opportunity. I don’t know how people who engage in that don’t commit suicide because frankly the only thing that motivates me is being able to actively change something,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfjGSfuSQpA
Do you feel like an eejit now?
The poor man, I can only imagine the stress he is under! These people are like vultures!! Can they not just leave him alone!
All this anger and hatred towards Bertie…why? I dint get it. He was a scheming greedy scoundrel, one amongst many…he skied away money yes, so what? Sure half the country was scheming tax, welfare, expenses, etc. Poor oul Bertie getting all the blame from the innocent blameless Irish public.
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