The public relations industry yesterday paid tribute to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, for his conduct of Ireland's European Union presidency last year.
Presenting an award to the Taoiseach, the chairman of the Public Relations Consultants' Association, Mr Hugh Gillanders, said the Government's communications during the six months had been "excellent and innovative".
The Taoiseach's special adviser, Mr Joe Lennon, who was in charge of presidency communications, also received an award.
The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, in a letter read out at yesterday's lunch, said there had "been no more effective leader of the European Union during my time as Prime Minister (and that includes my own presidency!)".
The negotiation of the EU constitution "was a very difficult challenge", said Mr Blair. That it was finally agreed at the end of the Irish presidency was "a triumph for Irish diplomacy".
The president of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, said Mr Ahern had made a habit of being the one at European Council meetings to "make low-key but wise interventions which have always helped to move our discussions along".