Sir, – What marvellous news that Bertie Ahern is being invited back to the Fianna Fáil party ("Bertie Ahern to be asked to rejoin Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central", November 29th).
At last the Irish political world will be able to right one of its most egregious wrongs. I think we all feel a sense of collective shame that our dear leader of the past felt obliged to resign from the party in 2012 after the impolite findings of the Mahon tribunal.
Banished from public life for an entire four years, with only the solace of an occasional media appearance and newspaper column, Mr Ahern has been disgracefully treated, despite almost single-handedly keeping the legal profession from the poor house during the crash.
He is our Cato, falling honourably on his sword in a gesture of stoic and noble resistance to the dark political forces of persecution and tyranny.
The invitation to welcome him back tells us much of the values of the revamped Fianna Fáil party. Those begrudgers who might point out that a tribunal found that he failed to give “a truthful account” of revenue he received should be reminded that we now inhabit a post-truth world where such bleating objections can and should be contemptuously batted away.
Naysayers should also be reminded that he has to supplement his meagre pension in some way, and what better way but to get back in the game? – Yours, etc,
DAVID O’SHAUGHNESSY,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 11.
Sir, – He hasn’t gone away, you know. – Yours, etc,
EDDIE MURPHY,
Newcastle,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Just when it looked as though the year of living dangerously couldn’t possibly get any scarier, we hear of Bertie Ahern’s imminent return to Fianna Fáil. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL CULLEN,
Sandycove, Co Dublin.
Sir, – The best small country in the world in which to do penance! – Yours, etc,
OLIVER McGRANE,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.