Bertie Ahern to be asked to rejoin Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central

Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central are to ask former taoiseach Bertie Ahern to rejoin the party.

A motion to invite Mr Ahern to rejoin Fianna Fáil was proposed at Fianna Fáil’s Dublin Central members’ meeting and was passed unanimously.

Mr Ahern, who resigned as taoiseach in 2008, also resigned from the party in 2012 following the findings of the Mahon Tribunal.

Mr Ahern revealed his resignation following an announcement by current party leader Micheál Martin that a motion would be put to the Ard Comhairle seeking his expulsion.

Mr Ahern told The Irish Times in 2012: “I have tendered my resignation because I do not want a debate about me to become a source of division in Fianna Fáil.

‘Deeply wounded’

“I am a resilient person and in public life you learn to take knocks, but I am deeply wounded by this tribunal report.”

Chairman of Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central Brian Mohan said there was a general discussion about constituency matters which led to a discussion about how well Mr Ahern has performed in elections past.

Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central passed a motion calling for a letter to be written to Bertie Ahern and the party headquarters asking the former taoiseach to rejoin the party.

“The general discussion about the state of the party developed into another discussion about our former TDs and about Bertie and his loyalty to the party,” he said.

Mr Mohan said two members of the party in Dublin Central aged in their 80s had started the discussion about Mr Ahern rejoining.

The motion was passed unanimously by the 30 members present at the meeting.

“Bertie is a vast vessel of knowledge with regard to winning elections so why wouldn’t we use him,” said Mr Mohan.