Embarrassed Fianna Fail rank and file ready to cast Bertie Ahern aside

Former Irish PM Bertie Ahern is to be cast aside by the Fianna Fail party who once idolized him according to reports on Friday.

The Irish Independent and other papers claim that rank and file Fianna Fail members are fed up listening to Ahern’s claims that he was not responsible for the downfall of the Celtic Tiger.

They are also incensed by his lavish expense claims as a former Prime Minister and are worried by revelations concerning in the forthcoming Mahon Tribunal report.

And current Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin has rowed into the row by blasting claims from Ahern this week that he could have won the forthcoming Presidential election on a FF ticket.

Martin branded Ahern’s assertion that he could have become Ireland’s next President as “ridiculous”.
“He is out of touch with reality in his belief that people could have voted for him,” Martin told Cork’s 96FM radio station.\

The incumbent Fianna Fail boss also admitted that Ahern’s near $400,000 expense claims as a former Prime Minister are way too high.

Under the current expenses regime, a former PM is entitled to employ two secretarial assistants for up to five years after leaving office and one after that. “I think it should be reduced,” said Martin.