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| TAOISEACH BERTIE AHERN RESIGNS |
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Bertie Ahern is to step down as Taoiseach and
leader of Fianna Fáil on May 6th, he announced
this morning.
Amid mounting pressure about his personal
finances, Mr Ahern said he was proud of his
political achievements but denied any wrongdoing.
Flanked by cabinet colleagues including Brian
Cowen, Mary Harney, Martin Cullen, Noel Dempsey,
Brian Lenihan, Mary Harney and John Gormley, Mr
Ahern said a "constant barrage of commentary" was
distracting the work of Government.
He said his decision was "solely motivated by what
is best for the people" and was "solely a personal
decision...inspired by the desire to refocus the
political agenda".
"I've been priviliged to serve my community, party
and country for many years," an emotional Mr Ahern
told reporters in Government Buildings.
Never in all the time that I served in politics
have I ever put my personal interest ahead of the
public good He said he was proud of his work on
the Northern Ireland peace process, on successive
social partnership agreements, on delivering a
modern economy and of Ireland's involvement in the
European Union.
He also said he had "ended the myth that Fianna
Fáil is incapable of sustaining a coalition
government" and paid tribute to both Mr Gormley
and Mary Harney.
However, the work of Government had been
"distracted by my life, my lifestyle and my
finances".
Mr Ahern was set to come under pressure in Dáil
this afternoon as the Opposition parties sought an
explanation for evidence given to the Mahon
tribunal by his former secretary.
The Opposition was due press Mr Ahern on the
sterling payments lodged to his Irish Permanent
building society account by Gráinne Carruth.
The tribunal is investigating claims that Mr Ahern
received money from property developer Owen
O'Callaghan. The claim by Tom Gilmartin has been
repeatedly denied by Mr O'Callaghan and by Mr
Ahern himself. However the tribunal invetigations
have thrown up questions on lodgements to Mr
Ahern'spersonal accounts in the early 1990s.
The total value of lodgements and other
transactions that have to date been queried by the
tribunal in its public inquiries into Mr Ahern's
finances, exceeds £452,800. The lodgements and
transactions occurred between 1988 and 1997,
although the vast bulk of the money was lodged in
the period to 1995.
The total is the equivalent of €886,830 in
today's terms, applying the consumer price index
for the period 1994 to 2008. The total excludes
lodgements where the tribunal has been shown the
money was transferred from one bank account to
another, but includes such lodgements where
neither Mr Ahern nor the tribunal have been able
to find independent confirmation as to what
occurred.
Mr Ahern said he would be "comprehenisely dealing
with these matters at the tribunal" and denied any
wrongdoing.
"Never in all the time that I served in politics
have I ever put my personal interest ahead of the
public good," he added.
"I have never received a corrupt payment...I have
done no wrong and wronged no one".
Last week, Ms Harney and Mr Gormley said Mr Ahern
needed to clarify the situation in relation to his
finances.
Tags : bertie ahern resigns taoiseach fianna fail april harney gormley dail |
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Affichage : 2728
Durée : 228 s |
| Lisbon Treaty- Ahern meets the CFR (3 of 3) |
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Throughout history violent take-overs of countries
have often failed and cost many empires far more
than they were worth. Wouldn't it be easier to
create an empire through the guise of democracy.
Vote away your constitution, your sovereignty and
your power.
The EU was first set up as a trade agreement, then
a common currency. And now a federal state is
being created. Thats not what we thought the aim
of Europe was. Slowly and surely we've been made
to think of Europe as a nation. And the lisbon
treaty is the final piece of the puzzle.
The brave men who fought and died for Ireland's
freedom from the British Empire are rolling in
their graves as the Irish people not only allow
the republic they fought for become a province of
a larger federal state, but may actually vote for
it! Our friends in France and the Netherlands
already said no to this, but still they come,
slithering to our door.
Common goals work, allegencies work, but uniting
states under one constitution does not. Remember
the USSR. Look at China. Citizens of the US have
far less control over their lives and laws than
citizens of smaller European democracies.
What if the proposed European President wasn't so
benevolant? It's like the hull of a ship, if one
floods there are boundaries to slow the spread of
water. It's these boundaries that halted the
democratically elected Hitler and others. Don't
think history can repeat itself? If we don't learn
from it, it will.
WE DON'T NEED A CONSTITUTION FOR EUROPE. We're
fine without it, thank you. This is the most
important vote of our generation. Vote this treaty
in and they won't ask you twice. DEFEND YOUR
LIBERTIES, YOUR DEMOCRACY, OUR COUNTRY. MO
CHAIRDE, SEND THIS TOTALITARIAN, UNDEMOCRATIC
PIECE OF GARBAGE BACK TO BRUSSELS WITH A FIRM "NO
WAY, NOT ON MY WATCH!"
Tags : Lisbon treaty ireland european union referendum 1916 irish rising fina fail gael labour fascism EU army news football |
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Affichage : 690
Durée : 559 s |
| Bertie Ahern - 1993 - Tax Evaders |
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Bertie Ahern - 1993 - Tax Evaders
Tax amnesty. Bertie Ahern then Finance Minister
for Ireland expressing his hatred of tax
evaders...
http://www.arethosemyfeet.com/
Bertie Ahern, the tenth Taoiseach of Ireland.
Currently undergoing investigation into alleged
fraudulent activities when he was the Finance
Minister for Ireland in the 1990's by the Mahon
Tribunal.
This is a snippet from RTE news coverage in 1993
when an amnesty was announced for tax evaders.
Bertie's comments are priceless.
Bertie Ahern, you are a hypocrite, a liar and an
embarrassment to the Irish nation. Please, please,
please resign. I wonder what you have over your FF
colleagues? Must be pretty big for them to keep
you there so long.
And don't get me started on the U-Turn the Green
party has staged. No more votes for you my
friends.
Tags : politics ireland hypocrite bertie ahern |
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Affichage : 3026
Durée : 37 s |
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