Bertie Ahern statement/resignation

bensweeney

What a fcuking prcik.

"I note the publication today of the Mahon Tribunal Final Report which are not the findings of a court of law.

At the outset, I want to make clear that I have had the great honour and privilege to serve as an elected politician for over 30 years. I have dedicated my life to politics and serving the interest of the Irish people in politics. I have never accepted a bribe or a corrupt payment.

The Tribunal into Certain Planning Matters was established to inquire into allegations of planning corruption in Dublin. After spending over a decade of inquiries and countless millions of euros, the Tribunal has not made – nor could it make – a finding to support the scurrilous and untrue allegation that I had been given a corrupt payment by Mr Owen O'Callaghan (the Cork based developer of Quarryvale) or any of his companies.

On this key substantive point there is no evidence whatsoever to show I received anything from Mr O'Callaghan.

Nor could there be because, put simply, this never happened.

The only reason that the Tribunal was allowed to investigate me was the entirely untrue and unworthy allegation that I had received money from Owen O'Callaghan. Without that allegation (which in truth was no more than rumour and gossip) it had no mandate at all to carry out a general inquiry into my finances and a trawl of my personal life.

>From the report it is clear, not a single witness at the Mahon

Tribunal directly stated that I was given a bribe (other than Mr Thomas Gilmartin). And he stated he was only repeating what he claimed he had been told by Owen O’Callaghan. Mr O’Callaghan was always clear that he never made that claim to Mr Gilmartin.

It is a matter of fact that I had nothing at all to do with the rezoning of the lands at Quarryvale. I was not a councillor on Dublin County Council and never exercised planning or zoning powers in respect of that site.

I am disappointed that the Tribunal has said that I failed to give “a truthful account.” That statement is unfair and inaccurate having regard to the evidence. It is one that I cannot and I will never accept and I will continue to examine ways in which to vindicate my name.

I was honest with the Tribunal and I gave it truthful evidence and I reject completely any suggestion that I did otherwise.

What I find most remarkable is that even where there is no evidence to the contrary, in many instances, my evidence has been summarily rejected and no good reason has been set out for why this is the case.

I am incredulous that the Tribunal has made findings rejecting the evidence of a number of individuals – including a number of friends who loaned me money –whose evidence supported mine. In the case of almost every person who lent me money, their explanations were not challenged at the hearings in any substantial way. I believe this is fundamentally unfair.

I find it extraordinary that the Tribunal has also disregarded the expert evidence that was given to it on tax, accounting and banking matters which supported me.

In particular, I believe that the notion that I got large sums of sterling and dollars is objectionable, inaccurate and without an iota of foundation.

Given the significance of the issue, this conclusion is all the more surprising because it has been arrived at without deploying the resources of a forensic accountant or an independent banking witness.

The Tribunal had unlimited resources available to it.

I find it startling and disturbing that despite its resources, the Tribunal did not employ any relevant experts but at the same time, declined to hear my expert banking witness to establish whether in fact their hypothesis could form the basis of any finding about foreign currency.

I note that the Tribunal’s report does not explain why the Tribunal did not call my expert in evidence, but still contradicted his conclusions.

I have accepted before that my personal finances were chaotic and this arose from a busy and personally traumatic period in my life.

I have apologised for any concern that this has caused people but I have never done anything wrong or illegal.

I have never received a corrupt payment and I have never done anything to demean any office I have held. I know that some people will feel that some aspects of my personal finances are unusual and that in retrospect it is obvious I was wrong not to have paid more attention to my financial affairs and records.

I truly regret if this has caused any confusion or worry in people’s minds. All of these issues arose in a period when my family, personal and professional situations were rapidly changing and I made the best decisions I could in the circumstances in which I found myself. I have long said that if I could go back in time I would do things differently, and for that confusion I am sorry. But I must repeat I never took a bribe or corrupt payment.

I never made a political decision in return for a payment.

I hid nothing. I gave the Tribunal unfettered access to all my financial records, and after years of investigation, this Tribunal has not made any finding of corruption against me. I have told the truth to this Tribunal, and I reject strongly any suggestion that I sought to mislead it."

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0322/breaking57.html

benway

Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunt.

"I note the publication today of the Mahon Tribunal Final Report which are not the findings of a court of law.

Sincerely hope he'll get his chance to make his excuses in a court of law, if that's what he wants.

Mr.Crinklewood

He must of had that ready for years.

J. Marston

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Nt3yLJUEw

Peter sums up my feelings towards him.

bensweeney

I never made a political decision in return for a payment.

So you never got paying for being a Politician? jesus the lies.

Slydice

So the country has tanked since 2007. How many bankers or politicians have been arrested so far? What difference is this report gonna make?

squod

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UCt787qneQw

Biggins

I don't trust a word out of his mouth.
Amazing that he could remember some of that stuff in his statement but not a lot of the stuff that he was asked questions on!

Shyster to the core!

policarp

A prick is a useful thing. . .

jased10s

but lads it only cost 14 years and a few 100 mil euros to find out what you knew.

Shure tis be grand .

Can someone come up with a new word to describe this corroupt/lying/overpriced/no services/minky/****e hole of a country because words faile me.

14 fecking years , how the feck did they take that long....

Rabidlamb

2125 Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will seek the expulsion of Bertie Ahern and Padraig Flynn from the party.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0322/mahon.html

(iii) Bertie Ahern
Although the central allegation against Bertie Ahern was not sustained, the evidence confirmed by the Tribunal and its comments relating to him are extremely serious.

The receipt by a senior office holder of large amounts of money which a sworn Tribunal has held is of unclear origins and the failure to give any credible explanation requires an unequivocal response.

No matter how high a member rises within the party and in elected office, they still carry a duty of trust for the members of Fianna Fáil and for the people who elected them.

The report records that Bertie Ahern gave a significant amount of evidence to the Tribunal which, in the opinion of the Tribunal, was untrue.

It is a matter of profound personal and professional regret to see confirmed in this Report the extent to which Bertie Ahern fell short of the standard of personal behaviour which is expected of the holders of high office. In the manner in which he received this money while holding high office and in the giving of rejected evidence to a sworn tribunal Bertie Ahern betrayed the trust placed in him by this country and this party.

I, together with the party's officers with whom I have met and consulted, believe the conduct of Bertie Ahern as outlined in the evidence made public through the Tribunal and the findings of the Tribunal constitute conduct unbecoming a member of Fianna Fáil.

Accordingly, I will propose a motion to expel him as a member of Fianna Fáil at the special meeting of National Executive. We are writing to Mr Ahern to inform him of this decision.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0322/fiannafail.html

cloptrop

I wonder what deal he swung to get his daughter that publishing deal . They were even making movies out of her ****e . He must have gave planning permission to penguin books. Ark ark ark.

Orando Broom

You know he's right to come out and be bullish. What is the worst that could happen him? Opprobrium from the Internet?? Fücking tribunal cost €300m and not a jail cell will be filled. The more it goes on the more I think the Bertie's of this country are right are we are the shower of stupid fücks. They will never be made do a perp walk, ever. Their family name never becomes a cross to bare. This tribunal has all but vindicated Bertie. Fücking depressing. Why piss away millions on being told stuff and tattle rag could tell you for the princely sum of two euro a week?

cassel16

Is there even point in reading it?

HeidiHeidi

cassel16 wrote: »

Is there even point in reading it?

Not a lot.

It wasn't me, and I won't do it again.

jased10s

**** it im doing a bertie and being a lying skank , seems the norm in Ireland.

glenkeeran

i hold Ahearn in the same breath as any other low-life criminal, so i believe the criminal Assets Bureau should be called in.:mad::mad::mad:

billybudd

Sure he walks on water, what other evidence do you need.

Awful_Bliss

I bet Bertie doesn't give two f**ks about being expelled from Fianna Fail. He's on a fat pension and living off giving speeches to idiots who still believe he's a faultless man. He will give a f**k if he's thrown in jail and buggered by three big lads in the jacks. We all know this won't happen.

The current government think, however, that they can put thousands of people in court for not paying a 100euros household charge. They'll let this cockroach off the hook along with the likes of Sean Fitzpatrick et al.

Warper

Its really sickening - they just walk away with millions through corruption and what the hell is being done? We all knew about it already

wexie

jased10s wrote: »

**** it im doing a bertie and being a lying skank , seems the norm in Ireland.

that seems to be the way to go alright, and if you lie and steal on large enough scale not only will you get away with it you can pretend it's all for the good of the country.

Stanley Devastating

Talk on RTE this evening of expelling him from Fianna Fail...he should be expelled into space to wander the cosmos and waffle on about his innocence for the rest of his days.
Grade-A prick.

ninebeanrows

This scumbag has never once said sorry for what he led this country to.

It is sickening.

Casillas

Ah yes Bertie in your head you are once again the victim.

I must apologise on behalf of the Irish people for us once again picking on poor little you.






Bollix..

JONJO THE MISER

I will never forget the night he was on Turbidy Tonight only a few years ago, with Tubs licking his arse and the audience standing up and clapping them, that day i lost all hope for a lot of the Irish voters and everyone of those clowns who clapped him that night deserve everything they get.

Bullseye1

We must have one of the most corrupt excuses of politicians in Northern Europe. I'm sure they could give the Italians and Greeks a run for their money.

jased10s

sickner is the pricks getting a fat wad every year of his life for free and we pay for it.

What a country....

pebbles21

Wonder if hes still advising the Nigerians how to run their country?...Fitting job if he is

ilovesleep

Leaving aside this man's dodgy expenses for a moment. Let's not forget he is still the main man responsible for ruinning Ireland's economy. Through ignoring warnings given to him and his party's policies of spend, spend, spend and cut, cut, cut and loosening banking regulation. Whether his going ons were done intentionally or not, we'll be paying for it for years to come while today he is filling his pockets of taxpayers money with his over inflated pension.

Let's not forget FF and the damage that they have done since 08 when the crash happening. They sold the nation to the banks and nama and they waited for the Troika to come in before tackling the deficit head on. They allowed that deficit to spiral out of control. Not only this maybe many jobs could have been saved if they looked at the reasons why companies were uping sticks and leaving (high costs) and introducing measures to keep jobs in the countries.

Bertie fled his role as taoiseach in may 2008 and passed it over to cowen. He left at a stage when he knew the banks were going down, down, down and this country was a ship about to sink.

billybudd

Awful_Bliss wrote: »

I bet Bertie doesn't give two f**ks about being expelled from Fianna Fail. He's on a fat pension and living off giving speeches to idiots who still believe he's a faultless man. He will give a f**k if he's thrown in jail and buggered by three big lads in the jacks. We all know this won't happen.

The current government think, however, that they can put thousands of people in court for not paying a 100euros household charge. They'll let this cockroach off the hook along with the likes of Sean Fitzpatrick et al.

Why would he, ever in a pub where he drinks? the sickening sight of absolute f88king tools hanging out of him getting they're picture taken with him and why would he not have a sense of well being when they are all slapping him on the back and hugging him.

Its not really that politics is f88ked up in this coutry. its the adult populations mentality that is sure why should TD'S care about reproach if there is no reproach.

kincsem

I have never accepted a bribe or a corrupt payment.

Because property developer friends gave you cash presents as a "dig out". We understand.

take everything

Hard to believe this fella lead the country for 11 years.


Actually it all kind of makes sense now.

ilovesleep

jased10s wrote: »

sickner is the pricks getting a fat wad every year of his life for free and we pay for it.

What a country....

And a state funeral when he dies.

Spacedog

Straight up cunt. He deserves to be murdered and killed to death with immediate effect.

BillyMitchel

After the findings, who would be responsible for bringing Bertie and co to face a trial?? Could the police or CAB investigate?

Shocking how corrupt politicians get an easy life in this country.

GetWithIt

You're all full of ****.

If this report came out in 2006 it would have been laughed out of it by the general populace. People were jumping over ditches to shake his hand.

The facts were equally clear then as they are now. People couldn't give a rats ass if Ahern was corrupt so long as their shoe box apartment was going up in price.

Warper

Im sick and tired of this sh1t. Im living in D1 and am now going to head down to Drumcondra outside Berties house to protest against this never-ending corruption of this country - Please join me

Orando Broom

GetWithIt wrote: »

You're all full of ****.

If this report came out in 2006 it would have been laughed out of it by the general populace. People were jumping over ditches to shake his hand.

The facts were equally clear then as they are now. People couldn't give a rats ass if Ahern was corrupt so long as their shoe box apartment was going up in price.

Thankfully you were there to save us from our useless, vile selves. I am eternally grateful.

Dante

Whatever about Bertie and the corruption of his scumbag party, most of which was common knowledge anyways, what I want to know is how they failed to produce any solid evidence whatsoever on him or a number of the other main culprits after 14 years and millions of taxpayers money...absolutely ridiculous IMO.

take everything

Watching Prime Time now.
Bertie getting 70 thousand for a speech about honesty.
Oh Jaysus.

billybudd

GetWithIt wrote: »

You're all full of ****.

If this report came out in 2006 it would have been laughed out of it by the general populace. People were jumping over ditches to shake his hand.

The facts were equally clear then as they are now. People couldn't give a rats ass if Ahern was corrupt so long as their shoe box apartment was going up in price.

messiah.....ive been waiting so long for you.

Joko

Where do you live, I want to protest outside your house. H Block style.

Orando Broom

Warper wrote: »

Im sick and tired of this sh1t. Im living in D1 and am now going to head down to Drumcondra outside Berties house to protest against this never-ending corruption of this country - Please join me

The Man With The Golden Gun is on, I'm out.

gurramok

So long as Ahern pandered to every vested interest, they were still going to elect him. That is those who enjoyed generous tax breaks property or in income tax, those "benchmarking" deals with semi-state and public sector unions, pensioners promised 300 quid pensions etc.

Yes as another scummer Haughey said, Ahern was "the most cunning of them all".

AnonoBoy

I'd prefer to protest inside his pub. With a pint. Quietly.

Occupy Fagan's!!!

Biggins

ilovesleep wrote: »

And a state funeral when he dies.

...And his portrait still gets to hang in the Dail for eternity!

Absolutely sickening.

Kensington

I wouldn't give the shyster the attention - he needs to be shunned and completely ignored tbh.

Orando Broom

Kensington wrote: »

I wouldn't give the shyster the attention - he needs to be shunned and completely ignored tbh.

The noblest of all the protest forms!

patwicklow

Amazing how this tread aint closed as i had a bertie tread and the mod said no more bertie treads and was CLOSED
any way hes a pure BASTARD........YES BERTIE....

Pottler

Warper wrote: »

Im sick and tired of this sh1t. Im living in D1 and am now going to head down to Drumcondra outside Berties house to protest against this never-ending corruption of this country - Please join me

well it's your thread, no need to damn it so strongly. I do tend to agree with you though, I'm sick of these sh1t threads as well.

MANSFIELD

take everything wrote: »

Watching Prime Time now.
Bertie getting 70 thousand for a speech about honesty.
Oh Jaysus.

Lmao