Bertie Ahern Quotes (13 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

Bertie Ahern: 13 quotes0 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.”

Bertie Ahern

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.”

Bertie Ahern

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)

“It took Ireland thirty years to become an overnight success.”

Bertie Ahern

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

Bertie Ahern

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 &ndash; The Irish Times newspaper article, 14 July, 2006.

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

Bertie Ahern

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.”

Bertie Ahern

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”

Bertie Ahern

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 quite unacceptable that a member of Dáil Éireann and in particular a Cabinet Minister and Taoiseach, should be supported in his personal lifestyle by gifts made to him personally.”

Bertie Ahern

Dáil Éireann transcript, September 1997

“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”

Bertie Ahern

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.

“I continued the arrangement, so whatever was on my mind, and the reason I probably can't give you a better reflection of what I was doing on the 19th of January is because I didn't do it. I am sure there are some mornings you get up and you think I might do this or I might do that and then you don't do them so, its hard to remember.”

Bertie Ahern

At the Mahon Tribunal on 20 September 2007. Planning Tribunal Transcript http://www.planningtribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_738.pdf planningtribunal.ie. 2007-09-20.

“The public are entitled to have an absolute guarantee of the financial probity and integrity of their elected representatives, their officials and above all of Ministers. They need to know that they are under financial obligations to nobody.”

Bertie Ahern

Dáil Éireann transcript, December 1996

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

Bertie Ahern

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”

Bertie Ahern

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.