Modern Ireland needs young people to "engage in their communities and to "give a voice" to their generation, the Taoiseach said in Galway last night.
Marking his 10th anniversary as leader of Fianna Fáil and the 50th birthday of the party's cumann at NUI Galway, Mr Ahern claimed his party's credit for Ireland's economic success. The "ethos and policies of Fianna Fáil down through the years" had recently "paid dividends beyond our wildest dreams".
"In the past decade Ireland has thankfully moved away from being a country that suffered economic stagnation, and a country that for too many years exported our greatest asset, our young people.
"Tonight, I am glad that I can say that we have truly turned the tide on the gloomier days of the past. We have moved from being the basket case of European economies to the role model of economic success, not just in Europe, but also throughout the world," the Taoiseach said.
Members of Cumann de Barra and the wider western region could take pride in the success story which Fianna Fáil had built, Mr Ahern told invited guests in Galway's Great Southern Hotel. The political party was still committed to the ideals of constitutional and socially progressive republicanism, he said.
The first chair of Cumann de Barra, Mr Paddy "Liver" McDermott, its current chair, Ms Aoife Golden, and former student members who continued in politics, including Minister of State, Mr Tom Kitt, his brother and fellow TD, Michael, Senator Terry Leyden and Senator Don Lydon were among the guests.
Also invited were the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív, Minister of State for Equality issues, Mr Frank Fahey, and Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Noel Treacy. Apologies were received from Labour Party president, Mr Michael D Higgins, chair of the cumann in 1966, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mr Brennan, and former PD and Fianna Fáil minister, Mr Bobby Molloy.
The Taoiseach said it was a great honour to speak at this "celebration of political activism" spanning half a century, and paid tribute to the immense contribution the cumann had made to life in Galway, Ireland and abroad. Mr Ahern paid special tribute to former FF councillor, Micheál Ó hUiginn, who retired at the last local elections.