Ahern to strike defiant note in face of critics

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will make a defiant defence of his record at today’s Fianna Fáil Árd Fheis, in an attempt to shore up party morale during a mid-term crisis that may damage its prospects in next year’s local and European elections.

Arriving in Killarney last night, he acknowledged that the last year had not been a good one for Fianna Fáil or the Government, and that the party’s stock in the opinion polls had suffered because of its policy decisions, and the recent controversies.

The party leadership is also expected to confront the mini-rebellion within the parliamentary party over the smoking ban, with Mr Ahern exhorting critics to stop “sniping from the sidelines.”

However, backbenchers opposed to an outright smoking ban will point to timely independent research, released yesterday from the Vintners Federation of Ireland, Irish Hotels Federation, and the Licensed Vintners Association.

The hospitality industry claims a survey of 300 premises in New York showed a 10% decline in waiting staff and bartenders jobs since the smoking ban was introduced. Over two-thirds of New York businesses attributed the decline to the smoking ban, with the remainder pointing to a poor economy.

In a joint statement, the VFI, LVA and IHF warned: “The research is concrete proof that a blanket ban could lead to an employment loss of over 3000 jobs.

“Independent research continually shows that the Irish public don't want this ban and Irish bar workers don't want this ban. And, increasingly, members of the Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party don't want this ban. Democracy should prevail and compromise is the way forward,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, speaking to local party activists last night, Ahern said: “As Taoiseach, I am the first to admit that the last year has been tough. We are in the midst of a global economic downturn and it’s unrealistic to expect Ireland to be immune from that.”

“Accordingly, we have taken a few knocks, but our skin must be thick enough to live with that. And yes, sometimes we have paid a heavy price for genuinely difficult decisions,” he said.

While his keynote address tonight was kept tightly under wraps, the Taoiseach hinted last night that the impetus of the conference would be to take stock of the party’s fortunes, and to set out its reform agenda. There were also strong signals from within the party that the defence would be robust and aggressive.

Buoyed by the highest-ever attendance at an Árd Fheis, and in a direct challenge to critics within and outside the party, Mr Ahern will open the one-day conference this morning by telling 5,000 delegates that politics is about achievement and action and not “sniping from the sidelines”.