Bertie’s return could be death knell of party

THE mere act of even considering readmitting Bertie Ahern to the Fianna Fáil fold means the party has given up on ever again becoming a dominant, broad-based political movement in Ireland.

They have, in effect, abandoned any notion of winning back the huge political support they lost as a result of causing financial ruin and loss of national sovereignty in 2010.

Ahern left Fianna Fáil in 2012, before being pushed by Micheál Martin, following the Mahon Tribunal corruption inquiry.

The tribunal accused Ahern of failing to ‘truthfully account’ for sources of money he lodged in his bank account when he was finance minister in the 1990s.

At the time, Mr Martin said Ahern had ‘betrayed the trust’ of the country and the party.

This week, he reminded us of all that water under the bridge and, sure, his contribution to the Good Friday Agreement and all that… you know yourself.

The party must have a death wish.