DRUMCONDRA:JOURNALISTS ASSEMBLED outside the former taoiseach's home from early morning. However, apart from the occasional appearance of a garda stationed in a hut within the gates of the driveway there was no movement. Bertie Ahern's constituency office of St Luke's also appeared empty.
Across the road outside his local pub, Fagan’s, there was a mixed reaction to the report. However, while most people were willing to be quoted, few wished for their names to be used.
“Bertie was a hero,” said one individual. “I was always a Fianna Fáil voter. It’s just heartbreaking. He did a lot of work and he seemed to be trustworthy and then to find out all the rumours are true, I’m just disgusted.”
One local said: “The tribunal is very distinguished, but it’s not infallible.”
Michael Dowd from Roscommon said Mr Ahern and Fianna Fáil had “an awful lot to answer for”.
“He more or less brought this country down I’d say with the way they carried on, hiding things and not being truthful and honest with people. That’s what we expect from our politicians to be truthful, especially when they’re up in front of a tribunal. This country has been downhill since.”