Irish Election are pleased to announce our collection of Irish 
Bertie: The view from overseas, via Dublin
Read more about: Bertie Ahern Resigns, Bertiegate, Corruption, Scandal, Tribunals
No doubt many people are sick of Bertie coverage at this point, especially following the Sunday papers. But it’s worth taking a look at Bruce Arnold’s assessment in Monday’s Wall Street Journal Europe, because it’s something that the vaguely curious international business-leaning audience that hasn’t paid attention to the affair will read about it. And a message from the veteran journalist that doesn’t come across so clearly in the din of the Indo. So in between the customary words of praise, Arnold has a few barbs –
The architect of Ireland’s economic miracle and the Northern Ireland peace process allegedly received about €600,000 ($944,538) from private individuals or unexplained sources during his stint as finance minister in the 1990s …He still rejects any wrongdoing and said he only steps down because the investigations were hindering his government’s work.
It is this insistence on innocence that could turn out to be the most damaging aspect of the affair. While nobody has yet proved corruption, Mr. Ahern has clearly misrepresented the sources of some of the controversial payments, seems to have broken official regulations for receiving such funds and admitted shortcomings in paying taxes on them. It is Mr. Ahern’s contradictory statements about his financial affairs that might have harmed him more than any underlying financial misconduct ever will. Had he come clean in September 2006, he might still be in power, with a fine record of achievement.
While Mr. Ahern has helped to bring his country’s economy into the 21st century, he failed to do the same for Ireland’s political culture. The prospects for progress are dim. His chosen successor, Finance Minister Brian Cowen, and the rest of his party, still stand behind Mr. Ahern. They’d need to change more than they have if they want to restore the “benchmarks of honor” to public life.
Arnold’s tally of funds received is much higher that Gavin’s pretty exhaustive listing; is he making an adjustment for inflation? So that will be even more of an eye-opener for the unfamiliar reader than it needs to be. Nevertheless, with figures in the mid 6 digits, a reminder yet again that these are not small potatoes, inflation-adjusted or not.
Perhaps even more interesting is Arnold’s assessment that the Dobson interview (and the carefully stage-managed revelations around it) was a huge lost opportunity, and not the stroke that it seemed at the time. But his analysis that Bertie should have come clean then begs the question — could the country have handled the truth?
Thing is, even now we don’t know the truth - what I mean is, Bertie STILL has to come clean. Diarmuid Ferriter had an interesting point in his assessment of Ahern. Again, he checked all the normal boxes - peace process, economy - but said that when it came to views of Ahern in the future, the evidence thrown up by the Mahon tribunal could lead to some interesting conclusions.
I reckon that stands even today, never mind in 40 or 50 years’ time.
As regards the economy, and “chief architect”, well, that’s just nonsense. The “celtic tiger” effectively ran out of steam around 2001. Now, that could have led to a more lower, and sustainable, growth, but Bertie Ahern and Charlie McCreevey wanted to keep construction in the lolly, to the effect that We’ve been living off the effects of a housing bubble ever since. The fact that Ahern and Co. managed to swap a national debt for an equally-crippling personal debt is hardly worthy of praise. They had the chance to wipe out one, and contain the other, but didn’t because it was not in the interests of those whose interests are the interests of FF.
Anyway, it looks like FF are going to escape criticism for this one, as the mantra of “international forces” is working for them. Not helped, it has to be said, by the free ride FG and Labour gave FF over the economy as well.
He might be using Keena’s figures, which included accounts not held by Ahern directly. My own list only uses accounts held by Ahern, and in some cases, amounts that are disputed/questioned.
Keena included all accounts related to St Luke’s that are also under investigation.
“While Mr. Ahern has helped to bring his country’s economy into the 21st century, he failed to do the same for Ireland’s political culture. The prospects for progress are dim.”
Any party that canwelcome the awful Bev back into the fold has a long way to go to meet 21st standards!
Gordon
Is €600,000 ($944,358) awaiting moderation?
If so, when we might expect him to repay it all?
Are the millions of US$ and the Gold Bars in the FF Safe Deposit Box in the Bank of Ireland Vaults (still ignored by CAB) signs of moderation?
Is Beverly Flynn moderate, when advising bank customers how to evade Irish Taxation?
Was Charlie moderate? He managed to spend over 400 times his after tax income.
And the Mercedes Benz & BMW motor cars; Farmleigh; the junkets on St.Patrick’s & countless other Days ; the Gulf Stream; the helicopter; etc…
Are these the manifestations of moderation? financial prudence?
Moderation is living within ones’ means.
It means NOT scrounging from friends; taking Bungs from developers; fiddling expenses;
It means behaving honestly; honourably and giving good example.
All qualities unknown to Bertie Ahern & his cronies in Fianna Fail.
In criticising their lack of moderation, I am understating their perfidy.