Taoiseach will leave office on 6 May (Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern)

[corksean]

Source: RTE News

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has announced that he will tender his resignation to President Mary McAleese on 6 May.

In an emotional speech and surrounded by his Government colleagues, Mr Ahern expressed thanks to his supporters over more than three decades served in the corridors of power

...snip...



He said his announcement was solely motivated by what is in the best interests of the people and said recent developments had not motivated his decision.

Mr Ahern insisted he had never put personal interest above the public good.

During the statement at Government Buildings, the Taoiseach stressed that he had never received a corrupt payment.

Read more: http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0402/ahernb.html

[Ken Burch]

1. so who picked up the corrupt payments FOR him?

Bye Bertie.

Maybe someday Ireland can actually get a clean, progressive government.

[robcon]

2. When you have a single-party source for prime minister for decades,

corruption is unavoidable. Fianna Fail has to lose the Taoiseach to keep them honest. Like Japan, New Jersey and Chicago, a single party in power for so long breeds corruption.

[bronxiteforever]

3. alaska makes them all pale in comparison-oil and rethugs, now they are Perfect together

[Ken Burch]

9. Ay...tis 'true...

As anyone who ever set foot in Room 604 of Juneau's spacious Baranof Hotel can tell you...

:eyes:

[GleninDublin]

6. There were and are two parties in power

for as long as Ahern was in power. In fact, the PDs had a hugely disproportionate amount of influence when they were in office with Fianna Fáil.

[Ken Burch]

10. For those who don't know Irish politics

I'd just like to point out that the "PD's" are the absurdly misnamed Progressive Democrats, and are the most right-of-centre party represented in the Dail(the Irish Parliament). They started, (sledgehammer irony alert here)as an anticorruption splinter group that broke with Ahern's own party, Fianna Fail, the dominant party in the 26 country Irish state since 1933.

[Patriot Abroad]

4. End of the Celtic Tiger?

Bertie's years in power have been some of the best in Irish history, with powerful economy driving large investment in the nation's infrastructure and encouraging foreign investment.

However, the health service is in a shambles, and some claim that the government has done nowhere near enough to save for the future.

The country is in the midst of a devaluation of property similar to the states - 100% loans were being given out to those least able to afford them.

And the government's strategy of tying itself to foreign investment leaves it very vulnerable to a downturn in the U.S.

It will be interesting to see what the next 5 years bring, because only then can the true legacy of the Ahern era be judged.

[CountAllVotes]

5. it is my understanding that many homes are empty

People just up and left as they could not afford to make the payments. Same story, different country. This has been going on for quite some time I was told (like at least the past 2 years or so).

I won't be missing the corrupt Ahern. I doubt most of Ireland will miss him either. !

btw: :hi: corksean!!! :hi: :D

:kick:

[Ken Burch]

11. Ireland does indeed face serious problems.

Myself, I think there's nothing for it but a new James Connolly.

[robcon]

12. Should the successful strategy be abandoned for a socialist state???

The growth of the Irish economy, has been its adoption of free trade, and its great location, well-educated workforce and expansionary government policies. Foreign investment has caused a boom in the Irish economy.

Suggesting that the Irish do a 180 degree turn and adopt a socialist state is idiotic, IMO. That's been tried and failed, and the abandonment of those policies, as shown in Ireland and India, are the cause of the growth of those economies.

[Ken Burch]

13. Why are you on DU if you're right wing?

And the socialist society James Connolly stood for was nothing like what happened in either Leninist states or right-wing social democracy.

If given the chance, working people can manage the world, and do so fairly and democratically. We are NOT beholden to the rich, and we don't have to give up our dignity to survive.

[GleninDublin]

7. I won't miss him

Corrupt deals with Shell and the giving away of Ireland's natural resources; cultural destruction compared to the methods of the Taliban; violent attacks on peaceful protesters; involving the country in an immoral war...

[Henny Penny]

8. He should have gone long ago. But its nice of him to remain

in situ just long enough to avoid putting Pelosi in an embarrassing spot.