FORMER TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern said when he left office last year Ireland was a “long way” better than it was when he started in politics.
Speaking on the Breakfast programme on Newstalk 106-108 FM, he referred to his pride in his political achievements. “You’re responsible for the period you’re there and while there are some difficulties, nobody can get through a long political career without difficulties,” he said.
“I think Ireland when I left office in May of 2008, I think I left Ireland a long way better than when I started in politics.”
When asked by presenter Claire Byrne if his legacy had been wrecked by the current economic situation, Mr Ahern said: “No.”
He said there were problems in many countries. “The fact is, I think, when I took over there was a million people working. When I left there was two-and-a-quarter million people,” he said.
“When I started as minister for finance we were at 60 per cent European level, when I left we were at 130 per cent.
“We brought our welfare society to a new level. They are things I am very proud of. I don’t think they were a problem for Ireland.”
He said Ireland had nothing to do with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which had “changed the rules of the world”. He added: “The property bubble in my view would not have been a great problem if it wasn’t for the change of the rules of what happened in the banking scene internationally. But that’s for somebody else to deal with and talk about now.”
Mr Ahern said “even at the back end of these difficulties” Ireland would still probably be ahead of the European average.
