Ahern would welcome rebel O’Keeffe back into fold
The two met at the official opening of the luxurious five-star Capella Hotel in east Cork yesterday.
Asked if he would welcome Mr O’Keeffe back, Bertie Ahern said: “Ned and I have been friends for 30 years, of course I would.
“I was talking to him earlier and he told me he had four comhairle ceantar meetings tonight, so he’s busier than ever.”
It emerged on Wednesday that the Cork East TD had written to Fianna Fáil seeking re-admission just two months after resigning in protest over the Government’s health policies.
He surrendered the party whip in late November during a two-day debate of no confidence in the Health Minister Mary Harney, which arose from the controversy over breast cancer screening in the midlands.
Mr Ahern also said 2008 is going to be a tougher year than the last few — but not that bad. This despite downgrading the growth of the economy to 2.5%, lower than the 2.8% growth in the budget.
“If we can keep ourselves where we heading, it will be a good year for Ireland, as against our international competitors. And then to be back moving towards more sustainable rates of 3% to 4% in 2009,” he said.
Mr Ahern made his comments after laying the foundation stone for University College Cork’s flagship €67m Information Technology (IT) building, the single biggest project in the university’s 400 million capital development programme.
The new facility, on the former greyhound track at the western approach to the city, will provide lecture theatres, undergraduate teaching laboratories, research laboratories and a riverside café.
It also features a new IT incubation suite which will encourage start-up software development companies.
Building work started in September 2006 and it is due to open to students in January 2009.
The 5.5-acre site will be linked by a pedestrian bridge to the recently completed Brookfield Health Sciences complex.
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