Ahern leaves an unfinished symphony

A lot done, but much more to do, is the final verdict on the Taoiseach, says Political Correspondent Paul O’Brien.

A POLITICIAN’S legacy is, by nature, always subjective. Unlike, say, athletes, whose success can be measured by the trophies they’ve won, politicians have no ready yardstick.

Obviously some might say general elections — but an election victory only wins a politician entry to the game of taking power and using it effectively. The Taoiseach has a massively impressive general election record, but while the Fianna Fáil faithful may measure him on that, the public won’t.