Fianna Fáil reaction: Fianna Fáil TDs criticised the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, for appointing Ray Burke to the cabinet in 1997 after the former minister was jailed yesterday for six months for tax offences, writes Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter.
None of the TDs who criticised the Taoiseach's judgement in the affair were willing to do so in public, but they said Mr Burke should never have been made minister for foreign affairs when Mr Ahern was forming his first cabinet in 1997.
While some TDs said publicly that Mr Ahern could not have known about Mr Burke's tax evasion, others said the Taoiseach was unwise to appoint him to the cabinet.
The controversy surrounding Burke's financial affairs had proven costly for Mr Ahern and Fianna Fáil, they said.
"At the end of the day, logic and friendship obviously were not in unison in relation to his judgment," said one TD of the Taoiseach.
There was no comment yesterday from Mr Ahern after Burke received a six-month sentence at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
However, Fianna Fáil's official spokeswoman said the sentence imposed on the former Dublin North TD indicated that "no-one in this country" was above the law.
"As legislators and as elected representatives of the people, we have a particular responsibility to uphold the laws that we make on their behalf. On a personal level, it is a tragedy for Ray Burke and his family," she said.
She declined to say whether the affair had damaged the party, but said Fianna Fáil in Government had introduced a range of measures and legislation to deal with tax evasion.
"Our position on the whole area of tax evasion has always been very clear. The legislation that was introduced was indicative of that." There was some sympathy for Burke and his family within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party yesterday, although some TDs said he should have received a longer sentence.
"It's important that the courts do hand down an appropriate judgment. Whether the punishment fits the crime is another issue. I do think he might have got more," said one figure.
However, another TD said the sentence was appropriate and the profession of politics would benefit from the fact a former minister would serve time for tax evasion.
The Laois-Offaly TD, Mr Seán Fleming, denied that the jailing of Mr Burke was a poor reflection of Mr Ahern's judgement.
"It would have been impossible for the Taoiseach to have had any prior knowledge of these matters. The tribunals were set up on the recommendation of a government led by Bertie Ahern," he said.
"The law has taken its course, that's it. It's a watershed alright in Irish political life. There's not much more than can be said either way, other than that the law must be respected."
A similar stance was adopted by the Longford-Roscommon TD Mr Michael Finneran, who said that Mr Burke had not been up-front with Mr Ahern.
"I believe that people in politics have to be up front with their leader. The leader can't be a detective," he said.
"I would feel it's probably a sad episode for somebody who had given a long service to the country and the party, and his father before him."
Another TD said that many people inside and outside politics will certainly remember Burke "for being quite an arrogant individual", although he pointed out that he had a strong reputation within his constituency.
"It's a sad old fate to befall anybody, and it obviously sets a marker for public representatives."