Ireland: Republic: Prime Minister Ahern 'fesses up to loan irregularities, says not illegal nor unethical
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The Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, Bertie Ahern, has acknowledged two loans from separate groups of friend back in the 1990s, a period under protracted scrutiny by an investigatory agency focussed on planification finances in Dublin, the country's capital. The Taoiseach (PM) was at the time Finance Minister, so the questions marks arise regarding the two consortia of friends as to whether they received benefits from contracts or zoning, etc, as quid pro quo for the loans.
Europe > Irish Republic
Ahern has been important to the complex negotiations regarding the pacification and devolution of government from the British cabinet (and Parliament) to the local parliamentary body--which has recently been restored in principle. A major conference on Northern Ireland's governmental devolution will take place next month in Scotland.
The Irish Republic govt, under Ahern, has functioned in tandem with the British govt so as to create a climate mutuality of the sponsors during Northern Ireland's lack of self-rule, a less than democratic arangement made as bearable as possible (one note the lack also is a violation of the principle of subsidiarity in politics, but it could be argued that the bleak situation required direct rule from a h+er level).
The questions raised about Ahern's finances cast something of a shadow, not only on his particiaption in the November devolution talks for NI, but also on the upcoming Republic of Ireland's elections next year. (Interestingly, Gerry Adams heads not only the Sinn Fein party in Northern Ireland but also the Sinn Fein party which holds 5 seats (.6%) in the Dail (Republic of Ireland parliament). Ahern's Fianna Fail holds 77 seats (43%). The Republic is a member of the EU, in which also Northern Ireland holds membership, being represented directly thru elected members of the British delegation to the European Parliament.
-- Politicarp
Further Research:
Bertie Ahern (Wikipedia)
Republic of Ireland politics (Wikipedia)
Bertie Ahern - a good brief profile by CNN
Blair, Ahern original plan for NI devolution (Apr7,2k6)
Ahern, Blair restate NI devolutoin (Jun29,2k6
Blair and Bertie Ahern in Northern Ireland devolution talks (Sep15,2k5)
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