Bertie’s vote-pulling power goes bust in constituency loss

BERTIE Ahern’s once unbeatable vote-getting political machine was exposed as a busted flush by the Dublin Central by-election.

After dominating the constituency for more than three decades, the former Taoiseach saw his brother, Maurice, blown away on the first count as he limped in a humiliating fifth.

Slipping behind Sinn Féin, it was a crushing personal defeat for the ex-Taoiseach as he so closely identified himself with his brother during the campaign.