Criticism of Bertie Ahern has become ‘extreme’

The writer Cecelia Ahern has said personal criticism of her father, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, has become extreme over the past few years.

In an interview with Miriam O’Callaghan, broadcast on RTE Radio 1 this morning, Ms Ahern said when criticism of her father became personal it was “not right”.

Asked her reaction to people blaming the former taoiseach for the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, Ms Ahern said: “A lot of people are in difficult places but you have to see that it has happened all over the world.

“He wasn’t the leader of every country all over the world. People have to take responsibility for certain aspects but not all. I suppose when it gets personal, it’s not right. It’s hard.

“Growing up with a politician of a father, I’m used to hearing all kinds of things all my life but I think it got quite extreme in the past couple of years.”

Asked to respond to the incident in which a man attacked her father with a crutch in a pub, she said it was absolutely heartbreaking.

“Nobody wants to hear of their dad being hit over the head with a crutch. It was awful.” She said Bertie Ahern was very happy at present. “He has a lot more time to himself. He can enjoy his life.

“He has dedicated his life to work. He has genuinely cared, not many people think it, and put Ireland before himself actually. He is a great granddad [or rather, she quickly corrected possible confusion] he’s a wonderful grandad.”

“He’s still working and travelling and involved in politics.”

Ms Ahern also disclosed to Ms O’Callaghan on Sunday with Miriam that she suffered from terrible panic attacks when she was younger.