Bertie Ahern Quotes

Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste and Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht from November 1994 to December 1994, Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1992 to 1994, Minister for Industry and Commerce in January 1993, Minister for Finance from 1991 to 1994, Minister for Labour from 1987 to 1991, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Defence from March 1982 to December 1982 and Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1986 to 1987. He served as a Teachta Dála from 1977 to 2011.

In 1994, Ahern was elected the sixth Leader of Fianna Fáil. Under Ahern's leadership, Fianna Fáil led three coalition governments. Ahern is the second-longest serving Taoiseach, after Éamon de Valera. Ahern resigned as Taoiseach on 6 May 2008, in the wake of revelations made in Mahon Tribunal, and was succeeded by Minister for Finance Brian Cowen. The Mahon Tribunal in 2012, found that Ahern, while not judged corrupt, had received monies from developers and the Tribunal disbelieved his explanations of those payments. Fianna Fáil proposed to expel politicians censured by the tribunal, but Ahern resigned from the party prior to the expulsion motion being moved.

In November 2016, it was announced that a decision had been made by Fianna Fáil to give Ahern the option of rejoining the party. Wikipedia  

✵ 12. September 1951
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Bertie Ahern: 13   quotes 0   likes

Famous Bertie Ahern Quotes

“I have always found him to be a proud, honourable man, loyal, true, persevering, principled, caring and committed but tough and a person who lost friends easily. On behalf of the Government but in particular on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I thank him for his distinguished years of service to his constituents and his country.”

Speaking about Ray Burke (who was subsequently jailed for six months for tax evasion) after Burke's resignation. Resignation of Member: Statements. http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0481/D.0481.199710070023.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 481, 1997-10-07

“It was a political donation for my personal use.”

21 February 2008 at the Mahon Tribunal, referring to a £5,000 donation. Irish Times report http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0221/breaking45.htm 2008-02-21. (Subscription required)

“The reason it's on the rise is because probably the boom times are getting even more boomer.”

commenting on rising inflation in the Irish economy. Economic growth shows little sign of letting up http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2006/0714/930304623HM1ECON.html – The Irish Times newspaper article, 14 July, 2006.

“Time magazine reported him as speaking of "upsetting the apple tart."”

Mr. Popularity http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1614940,00.html Time magazine. 2007-04-26.

“That decision will in history be written as the biggest mistake that American administration ever made, because Lehmans was a world investment bank. They had testicles everywhere.”

Speaking on the collapse of Lehman Brothers Bank. Lehmans world presence http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/1010/1224256328159.html (Subscription required). The Year in Quotes http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6968426.ece (Subscription required)

Bertie Ahern Quotes

“I never condemn wrongdoing in any area”

22 February, 2006 in the Dáil (Ahern corrected his slip, above, TO "condone" during the same statement.) Leaders' Questions http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2006/02/22/member5.asp Oireachtas Debates 2006-02-22.

“It is not correct, and if I said so, I was not correct — I cannot recall if I said it, but I did not say, or if I did, I did not mean to say it”

Straight answers needed to taxing Bertie questions http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/fionnan-sheahan/straight-answers-needed-to-taxing-bertie-questions-1277938.html Irish Independent, 2008-01-31.

“Some people dye their hair yellow or put rings in their noses”

Explaining to the Mahon Tribunal on 20 December 2007 why he did not have a bank account in 1993. Planning Tribunal Transcript http://www.planningtribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_784.pdf planningtribunal.ie. 2007-12-20.

“I don't know how people who engage in that don't commit suicide”

commenting on people "talking the economy down", just before the crash. Speech at Irish Congress of Trade Unions conference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfjGSfuSQpA 2007-07-3.

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