Bertie Ahern

The Taoiseach has indicated that he is open to the possibility that former taoiseach Bertie Ahern be readmitted to the Fianna Fáil party.

and that's (Mr Ahern's return to the party is) something in the fullness of time we can look at." Fianna Fáil backbench TD John Lahart said that "the discussion" at the weekly parliamentary party meeting on Mr Ahern's possible return to the party "was specifically in the context of the value (and) experience that he brings" ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement next year. When asked about his proposal that Mr Ahern be expelled from the party in 2012, Mr Martin said that "there was a context there and there was an issue there".

Micheál Martin said that he has been engaging with the former taoiseach in recent times, particularly about issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol. On ...

“I think the discussion last night was specifically in the context of the value of experience that he brings, particularly in the context of the 25th year of the Good Friday Agreement next year. When remind that he sought to expel his predecessor from the party, Mr Martin said that he resigned in the wake of the tribunal. “As far as I am concerned, it’s ten years on, I’m conscious of the contribution he has made to peace in the country. “People in Northern Ireland know I am very familiar with the issues on all sides of all parties and the fact that would have been a member of the government as part of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement at the time. “He has reached out to communities in the north and is sort of picking up perspectives in different communities and that’s been valuable in terms of engaging and discussions on that,” the Fianna Fáil leader added. Speaking in Tallaght on Thursday, Mr Martin said: “In terms of Bertie Ahern, I have been engaging with Bertie Ahern actually over the last year and a bit, since the rows on the protocol, and he’s very involved in Northern Ireland issues, he maintains contacts with different groups.

Micheál Martin says former taoiseach resigned from party when there was a different context and praises contribution to peace process.

He said they had not discussed Mr Ahern rejoining the party in their conversations. Asked for his views on Mr Ahern returning, Mr Lahart said: “We don’t live in a cancel culture. There was a context there and issue there,” he said.

Donegal Senator Niall Blaney says Fianna Fail should allow former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern back into the party. Today's Irish Examiner is reporting that Sen ...

The tribunal stopped short of accusing Ahern of corruption but said he failed to “truthfully account” for sources of money he lodged in his bank account when he was finance minister in the 1990s. In 2012, Mr Ahern resigned from Fianna Fáil in the wake of the Mahon Tribunal ahead of current Taoiseach Micheál Martin expelling him from the party. Backing Mr Blaney up, Offaly TD and former Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen said the time has come to re-admit Mr Ahern to the party.

The Taoiseach was speaking at the opening of a Penneys store in Tallaght.

It’s very relaxed when we meet," he continued. “No one can take from the contribution he made to peace in Ireland and to the peace process, so the fullness of time certainly we will give him that consideration. Martin added that "no one can take from him the contribution he made to peace in Ireland and to the peace process". [Northern Ireland Protocol](https://www.buzz.ie/news/world-news/northern-ireland-protocol-bill-explainer-27228703). [Fianna Fáil](https://www.buzz.ie/all-about/fianna-fail) in 2011, said: "In the fullness of time, certainly we would give that consideration". [READ NEXT - The minimum wage is set to increase from next year](https://www.buzz.ie/news/irish-news/minimum-wage-increase-2023-27983482) [READ NEXT - Cost of living crisis is now a bigger worry than housing, new survey suggests](https://www.buzz.ie/news/irish-news/inflation-bigger-worry-than-housing-27973992)

But his service was marred after he left under a cloud when he resigned from Fianna Fail in 2012, just after damning findings from the Mahon Tribunal into his ...

Mr Martin said: “I’ve been engaging with Bertie Ahern actually over the last year and a bit in terms of rows over the [Northern] Protocol. He was backed by Offaly TD Barry Cowen. Mr Ahern wasn’t expelled as he quit before the party’s disciplinary committee could meet. Mr Ahern’s invaluable insight into the North as the Taoiseach who signed the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998 is one of the reasons the Taoiseach said he has reached out. Mr Martin said at the time his former boss had “betrayed the trust” of the party in his dealings with the tribunal. And Mr Martin said that, “in the fullness of time,” the party leader who left in disgrace could be welcomed back with open arms.