Failure to clean up politics ‘will haunt Ahern’

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern’s efforts to sideline political corruption allegations into the tribunal process are set to return to haunt him, a controversial new book claims.

The book, which is a study of Charles J Haughey's relationship with political power, also touches on his one-time protégé, Mr Ahern.

It contends that with the economic boom fading quickly, Mr Ahern's failure to clean up Irish politics, and especially his failure to ban corporate funding of political parties, will return to haunt him.

The author makes it clear there is no evidence that Mr Ahern benefited from Mr Haughey's looting of the Fianna Fáil leadership account while the current Taoiseach was treasurer of that fund. But the book contends Mr Ahern's tone of injured pride when Mr Haughey's conduct was publicised was not credible given his failure to ban corporate funding of politics.

"The perception, if not the reality, that politicians can be bought in Ireland remains undiminished," the book states.

The author also asserts that Mr Ahern's decision last June to join an unforced coalition with the Progressive Democrats, when he had other options, was an effective admission that Fianna Fáil was unfit to govern alone. He argues that the PD relationship is dragging FF further away from its traditional republican roots while the Northern Ireland peace process is merely a form of crisis management which is devoid of principle.

The book, The Modern Prince, Charles J Haughey And The Quest for Power, is written by Dr Justin O'Brien who also wrote a controversial study of the 1970 Arms Trial which was published over a year ago. It studies how the State's most controversial politician manipulated power as well as examining his sometimes desperate efforts to hold on to power before finally being forced to relinquish it.

Dr O'Brien, a former television journalist and now an academic at Queen's University in Belfast, examines Mr Haughey's extraordinary journey from arms trial defendant in 1970 to government minister in 1977. It chronicles his 1979 heave against then-Taoiseach Jack Lynch, and subsequent heaves against himself.

It goes on to argue that Mr Haughey fused the fortunes of the Fianna Fáil party and the entire State with his own persona. The book salutes the former FF leader and Taoiseach's many lasting achievements but also concludes that he made a corrosive pact with big business which ultimately destroyed his credibility and tarnished Irish politics.

* The Modern Prince Charles J Haughey And The Quest for Power by Justin O'Brien is published by Merlin next Monday, September 30, priced 24.99 hardback.