Irish Election - Coverage of Irish Politics, News and Current Affairs

Bock has been following this for a while and gives his take on the Morris Tribunal report over on the blog, he is not impressed with the Gardai, neither is Justice Morris and neither is Jim Higgins.
Considering he was being moved on, it is clear that Lenihan was covering for any successor in dumping this [...]

Early last week, when things were quieter and the world was still spinning, allegations and remarks were abound as they have been for some time. The evidence of Gráinne Carruth was being lamented as a bad day for Bertie in the newspapers as they executed their never-ending campaign of vicious and snide comment on the [...]

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. [...]

There is a quickly growing consensus that the Mahon Tribunal will be little more than a footnote - albeit a very unsightly one - in Bertie Ahern’s legacy.
However while there is little doubt that Ahern has done the State enough service to be remembered fondly, his most loyal supporters worryingly seem to believe that this [...]

And now what are we we going to do?
It was the net wat done it
By the way that is an ugly ass interface in the new Wordpress. Ugh.

The main points from Bertie Aherns speech delivered seconds ago outside government buildings. He will be stepping down on May 6th. (Forgive the jump from 1st to 3rd person and back, it was typed on the go).

Breaking: Bertie Ahern to resign Tuesday 6th of May.
10:30am: Bertie Ahern has announced a last-minute, unexpected press conference to be held before his statement to the Dáil.
Reports on the substance are mixed although many outlets are suggesting that a resignation date, or even an immediate resignation from the leadership of Fianna Fáil, is expected.
RTÉ One [...]

Perhaps out of worry that the High Court will not find in his favour after tomorrow’s case or perhaps out of that deep-seated predisposition to change his mind more often than the weather, Ahern is widely reported as considering only giving sparse detail to the Dail tomorrow. I am not sure we would have known [...]

So he was for turning after all. I didn’t take long for Ahern to turn ‘I will not be making a statement’ into ‘I will in fact, ah, be making a statement’. The Indo reports this morning that he will make use of Dail time on Wednesday to make a speech which will attempt to [...]

According to many pundits and politicos, the panel debate held on The Late Late Show just before the last general election marked a turn in public opinion back towards Bertie Ahern and Fianna Fáil - carrying them to victory in May’s poll.
If this theory can be taken as fact and the logic of it carried [...]

Irish Election: The dog barks?
Greens join calls for Ahern statement

With Fiona O’Malley and now Mary Harney coming out questioning Bertie Ahern handling of his affairs.
Minister for Health Mary Harney has called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to break his silence over evidence given at the Mahon tribunal last week.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin this morning, the  former Progressive Democrats leader said the Taoiseach was the [...]

Bertie Ahern’s brother Noel Ahern –
Fifteen thousand is no big deal. There might be a very simple explanation. I understand he may have given the wrong details for a wrong lodgement … There’s nothing special about the amount…
He’s referring to the £15,500 Sterling.   In early 1994, a punt bought about 96p Sterling so that’s [...]

The Irish Independent revealed today that the Taoiseach will tell the Mahon tribunal that he converted his salary cheques into sterling, and then back into punts, before lodging them into the three accounts he kept at the Permanent TSB branch in Drumcondra. This is in response to Grainne Carruth’s devastating evidence to the Mahon [...]

Junior Minister John McGuinness gave an interview on Newstalk’s Lunchtime Show regarding this week’s proceedings at the Mahon Tribunal this afternoon - Newstalk have press released the interview with quotes after the jump. The overall tone of the interview was less than convincing in it’s endorsement of the Taoiseach.

From RTE
The Taoiseach’s former secretary, Grainne Carruth, broke down at the Mahon Tribunal today after saying she now accepts she lodged sterling on his behalf.
But when Ms Carruth insisted she did not remember making the lodgements for Bertie Ahern she was warned that it is a criminal offence to lie to the tribunal.
The Mahon Tribunal [...]