The Road to Bertie - The Life of A Former Head of Government

The careers of former "Heads of Government" are varied and interesting, and sometimes an end to a career as a public representative appears to mean an increased, rather than reduced, political influence.

Bertie Ahern's debut as RTE interviewer is an unusual departure from the usual Directorships and titular headships of Institutes and Companies.

This thread is for the purpose of recording and commenting on the rest of the interesting life of Bertie Ahern.

Quote :

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today denied causing the recession and urged his successor Brian Cowen and Cabinet colleagues to knuckle down to get the country’s finances back in shape.
The Dublin Central TD, who quit office in April, joked that he would have dug the economy out of the downturn sooner if he had been in charge.

Speaking from his holidays in Co Kerry, Mr Ahern said: “People say that I caused it, don’t they. But that’s wrong.

“I would have dug us out of it. It takes you a while to do it.”

Mr Ahern, who will present an episode of RTE Radio’s The Road to Corker tomorrow, added: “These things happen, international circumstances cause things to happen and what you have to do is work your way out of them.”

“I have no doubt that that is what the Taoiseach will do now and my former colleagues.”

When asked what advice he would offer to Mr Cowen, Mr Ahern commented: “You just have to work hard. There is no solution. All of us, whatever career we’re in, when times get difficult and it’s not your fault, you just have to work hard and knuckle down to it. If you do that you’ll make the right decisions and with good counsel you can work your way through.”

Mr Ahern also said he has been keeping busy since handing over the reins of power to Mr Cowen.

“I have been doing bits of everything. It takes a bit of getting used to. I’ve an interesting winter ahead.”

Last month Mr Ahern was appointed to the World Economic Forum’s body for international conflict resolution and negotiation.

“That’s going to bring me straight into a lot of the conflicts on the world stage with a prestigious group of people like Tony and Bill and Jimmy Carter,” Mr Ahern told RTE Radio One.

A three-part documentary, entitled ’Bertie’, will be screened on RTE television in coming months.

“I hope it will be of interest to people,” the TD said.

I like Bertie. I am looking forward to seeing him on the Road to Croker. I would not be happy about it if I were in FG as it smacks of free publicity but I think that is ok for a retired Taoiseach.

Oh good god it's like Harold Wilson reading off the cue cards back in the seventies when somebody thought it would be agood idea as a next career move

Bertie chats to rich publicans.....shock

"da Tyrone Tornado from da nort.".....I brought peace there ye know

My family won't let me watch

cactus flower wrote:

My family won't let me watch

A minor car crash up til now......move it along please, nothing to see here

Bertie .... humph.... is the teflon holding up? Is there a soul on the earth will buy the "I'd fix up the economy in a jiffy" line?

cactus flower wrote:

Bertie .... humph.... is the teflon holding up? Is there a soul on the earth will buy the "I'd fix up the economy in a jiffy" line?

unfortunately the answer to your last question is in the positive...." Ahh poooooor Beeerrttieee". They would buy strychnine off him if he told them it would cure their dementia.