# Bertie stands down



## z107 (30 Dec 2010)

That fine bastion of a man, bertie ahern, has finally decided to stand down.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ahern-to-retire-from-politics-487471.html

After all of his hard work ensuring economic prosperity in Ireland, he's decided to put away his soap box. He fixed up the problems Ireland were having with the British, and may now decide to run for eternal president.

I wonder will he enjoy all his pensions and other goodies?
(Does retiring before 1 Jan 2011 make a difference, I wonder)


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## thedaras (31 Dec 2010)

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said his colleague’s departure from political leadership “truly marks the end of an era”.

Mr Cowen added: “He is without question the consummate politician of our generation in this country.

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ahern-to-retire-from-politics-487471.html#ixzz19eDFNTAv
SICKENING!


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## Lex Foutish (31 Dec 2010)

Ah, lads. Poor old Bertie.

*When he has went away*, we'll miss him a lot more than we think we will!


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## Mpsox (31 Dec 2010)

I'm not sure what to make of Bertie. On the one hand, he has to take much of the responsibility for the current state of the nation, the property boom/bust and the laissez-faire approach to regualtion which got us into the mess we're in. On the other hand, if we criticise him for the bust, then we have to accept he was also largely responsible for the boom. On a personal basis, I can't help wondering if we didn't have the Celtic Tiger, would I, and so many former emigrants like me, have been able to come home to jobs over the period of the Tiger.? 

 We also can't ignore the peace process, and whilst he can't take full responsibility for what happened, he deserves an awful lot of credit for it. Let's not forget that the day he buried his mother, he was back in Belfast a few hours later. 

I actually think the history books will be kinder to Bertie then perhaps we will be.  Economic busts largely get forgotton about in time, as economies improve and new generations come along. However, If you go North now, it is hard to remember what it was like 20 odd years ago and it is for the peace process more then anything that in 50/100 years time he'll be remembered for


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## mtk (31 Dec 2010)

big loss to the country NOT


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## Slash (31 Dec 2010)

Mpsox said:


> ....then we have to accept he was also largely responsible for the boom.



I do not accept that at all. The "boom" came about as a result of low interest rates, which enabled businesses and individuals to borrow and spend. Bertie had nothng to do with that. He just managed to surf the wave, and squander the increased taxes that flowed into the government coffers.


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## Towger (31 Dec 2010)

AFAIK, Bertie still has no Tax Clearance Certificate. So he cannot become a TD again untill his tax affairs are in order. The fact that he should not at this moment be a TD without one seems to have been over looked.


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## Purple (31 Dec 2010)

Bertie took office in 1997. The boom was in full swing by then and was over by 2003. The bubble started around 2001 and killed off the boom within two years. Berties only legacy in relation to the boom was that he killed it.
I won't offer my personal opinion of the man or I'll be banned from the site.


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## Mpsox (31 Dec 2010)

Purple said:


> Bertie took office in 1997. The boom was in full swing by then.


 
Wasn't there a Labour Minister for Finance prior to that??


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## Purple (31 Dec 2010)

Mpsox said:


> Wasn't there a Labour Minister for Finance prior to that??



There was indeed, and a good one at that. Then again, that was before the reverse take over of the labour party by Democratic Left/The Workers party/ Sinn Fein.


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## Time (31 Dec 2010)

I hear he is interested in a 7 year lease on a certain property in the Phoenix Park.


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## gianni (31 Dec 2010)

No matter what good or bad he did in the political sphere, much of which is open to interpretation, I think the defining moment of B. Ahern's 'legacy' will come via the [broken link removed].


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## Complainer (2 Jan 2011)

Time said:


> I hear he is interested in a 7 year lease on a certain property in the Phoenix Park.



I'd strongly encourage him to run for President, just to see his face as the results are announced.


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## Welfarite (3 Jan 2011)

Abiding memories fo bertie:

Anorak man
A pint of Bass
Paddy the Plasterer
'Boom times getting boomer'
Banana Man (that outfit at the summit meeting in Cork)
'smokes and daggers'
Tea in the cupboard
Suicide

have I summed it up?


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## Complainer (3 Jan 2011)

Welfarite said:


> have I summed it up?


You forgot some of the important ones;

The Minister of Finance who had no bank account;
The lodgement to his account made on the same day that he had a meeting with Frank Dunlop in his diary;
The money that he won on the races;


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## Lex Foutish (3 Jan 2011)

And ".....the most devious of them all!"


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## Sue Ellen (3 Jan 2011)

Lex Foutish said:


> *When he has went away*, we'll miss him a lot more than we think we will!





Lex Foutish said:


> And ".....the most devious of them all!"



Shame on you Lex  LOL



Complainer said:


> I'd strongly encourage him to run for President, just to see his face as the results are announced.



I would be too nervous to put it to the test.  There are too many OAPs out there who consider that he looked after them well and others who won't have a bad word said about him.


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## Towger (4 Jan 2011)

"[broken link removed]"


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## Firefly (4 Jan 2011)

Welfarite said:


> Abiding memories fo bertie:
> 
> Anorak man



It's a pity the water wasn't a bit deeper


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