Dublin, Ireland – Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has announced he will not pursue a bid for the Irish presidency, effectively withdrawing from consideration following a decision by the Fianna Fáil party leadership.
Ahern, who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, communicated his decision to supporters via an online message, having previously not ruled out a run despite the emergence of Jim Gavin as the preferred candidate within Fianna Fáil.
In his statement, Ahern suggested current Taoiseach Micheál Martin was opposed to his candidacy, citing concerns related to the Mahon Tribunal and the state of the economy during his time in office.
“I suppose [Micheál Martin] saw in his view that there was a candidate 20 years younger and somebody from outside the party,” Ahern stated. “In all my time in Fianna Fáil, I’ve never seen a period where the leadership really lose out in these things.”
Ahern also confirmed he would not contest the election as an independent candidate, emphasizing his long-standing loyalty to Fianna Fáil. “as a former leader of the party, I respect Fianna Fáil and its legacy far too much to even consider that independent idea,” he said. “I’ve always been a Fianna Fáil person.”
Addressing the reasons for Martin’s opposition, ahern stated, “I suppose the only area where [Micheál Martin] has indicated in the past why he was anti-me was the Mahon Tribunal and the economy.”
Regarding the economy, Ahern defended his government’s record, stating, “I don’t think we can say too much about the economy as we were all in it together, trying to make sure the economy was the best we could.” He added, “The reality is that the economy from ’97 to today has grown practically nearly every year bar the years of the international recession which was a worldwide recession.”
