Me to help out FF – take over the world
Bertie Ahern puts it up to Micheál Martin with criticism of leader’s attempt to distance FF from legacy of de Valera, Seán Lemass, Haughey and even himself!
win election to the Dáil in 2016 and was rejected in the Seanad election.
She also lost out in the 2014 European elections and there is now no Fianna Fáil TD for the Dublin Central constituency.
He said: ‘All they’re trying to do is to win back a seat and they’re trying to rejuvenate the constituency and the activities. It’s hard for them, particularly the older ones.’
Mr Ahern pointed out that he won 10 general elections in the locality, and usually brought in a running mate – as well as having a brother who got elected for the neighbouring constituency of Dublin North West. He believes that his experience of winning three general elections as Taoiseach is what the activists are trying to utilise.
He said: ‘The request was only for me to come back and join the local organisation and help out – and then it becomes as if I was trying to take over the UN or something.
‘What they were asking me, the request was – which I don’t know where it took off, it was a bit nonsensical – they were asking me to join effectively the local cumann in Drumcondra and help out as an ordinary member, assisting with some of my 40-year experience of politics to help win a few votes. And suddenly it comes as if you were going to take over the world.
‘It’s just strange, they weren’t asking me to run as a councillor, chairman, national executive; they were asking me nothing.’