Fianna Fáil's record since the party took office in 1997 is that of the "most left-wing government the country has ever seen", the Taoiseach told the Dáil. Marie O'Halloran reports.
Mr Ahern, who in an interview on Saturday in The Irish Times, described himself as a socialist, defended his comments and insisted that "the real workers' party in this country is Fianna Fáil".
Labour leader Mr Pat Rabbitte, who challenged the Taoiseach about being a socialist, said that "nothing has stretched credulity so much since the press conferences in Baghdad of 'comical Ali'." He also asked "how will it change the lives of ordinary people now that a true socialist leads the Government?"
Would it mean that millionaires who paid no tax would have to pay a "fair tax"? Would it result in a reversal of the €58 million cuts in social welfare? And would it mean the restoration of the RAPID programme, designed to transfer resources to the most disadvantaged area of the country?
In exchanges marked by jeers and humour, Mr Rabbitte asked if the Taoiseach had "many soul brothers and sisters in the Cabinet to assist him in this change of direction", while Mr Bernard Durkan (FG, Kildare North) suggested "the Taoiseach would look well beside a picture of Che Guevara".
Mr Ahern said the "core of centre-left political ideology is the desire to spread more wealth equally. Since we returned to office in 1997, Fianna Fáil's record is that of the most left-wing government the country has ever seen". When the Ceann Comhairle attempted to deal with interruptions, Mr Ahern said it was all right because "I am quite enjoying the fact that the Labour Party has not been so upset for 20 years".
He said there was "no arguing with my party's clear achievements in ensuring that economic prosperity is more equitably spread throughout our communities". He referred to a report in The Economist, which showed Ireland was best of over 100 countries for tax and unemployment figures. "Most centre-left, left or commie parties in Europe would be very pleased to have our economic statistics," he said.
Mr Rabbitte said that the Government had taken 101,000 medical cards out of the system and had "suckered" the average industrial earner into paying tax at the top rate for the first time in the State's history.
He added that the Taoiseach's comments were a "calculatedly cynical attempt to rebrand and reposition the most right-wing government this State has seen since its foundation".
But Mr Ahern said "the great social philosophy of the Labour Party left people unemployed or emigrating and with high taxes. The country was goosed but we are away from those policies now."