Bartholomew Patrick “Bertie” Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008.
Bertie used to be Taoiseach – but he messed up!
Bertie lead Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008. Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997. Tánaiste and Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht from November 1994 to December 1994 and Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1992 to 1994,
Ahern was also minister for Industry and Commerce in January 1993, Minister for Finance from 1991 to 1994. Minister for Labour from 1987 to 1991, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Defence from March 1982 to December 1982
He served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1986 to 1987. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 2011.
In 1994, Ahern was elected the sixth Leader of Fianna Fáil. Under Ahern’s leadership, Fianna Fáil led three coalition governments. After Éamon de Valera, Bertie Ahern’s term as Taoiseach is the longest.
Ahern resigned as Taoiseach on 6 May 2008, in the wake of revelations made in Mahon Tribunal, and was succeeded by Minister for Finance Brian Cowen.
The Mahon Tribunal in 2012, found that Ahern, while not judged corrupt, had received monies from developers. The Tribunal disbelieved his explanations of those payments.
Fianna Fáil proposed to expel politicians named by the tribunal, but Ahern resigned from the party before the expulsion motion was moved.
In November 2016, it was announced that a decision had been made by Fianna Fáil to give Ahern the option of rejoining the party.