Bertie Ahern on video: Ireland has 'too many immigrants'; 'I worry about Africans'

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern said in the video recorded without his knowledge that "the ones I worry about are the Africans".

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has suggested that there are “too many” immigrants and that Ireland “can’t be taking in people from the Congo”.

A video, which appeared to be taken during a by-election canvass in Dublin Central, was shared on social media following a conversation between the former Fianna Fáil leader and a woman at a doorstep.

The video was filmed without Mr Ahern’s knowledge.

Fianna Fáil’s by-election candidate, John Stephens, is an ally of the former Taoiseach and is contesting the election in Mr Ahern’s former Dublin Central constituency. The by-election will be held on May 22 to fill the seat vacated by former Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe following his departure to the World Bank in November.

The video shows a canvasser calling Mr Ahern over to a doorstep to speak to a woman who “wants to say hello”.

She raised concerns about “globalism” and the “hordes of foreigners coming into our country”.

“Can we not close our borders?” she asked. “Can we not be like Poland, and have safe, clean streets?

“All these people coming in. The Indians, that have a space programme, all these Muslims have 47 countries. All these Africans that have a massive continent and massive natural resources.”

When the woman said to Mr Ahern that the people coming in “don’t give a shit about Ireland”, he responded “no”.

“I think there are too many coming in,” Mr Ahern said. “I think we have to take some in. I have no problems with the Ukrainians. In fairness, Russia moved in, and [there is] war in their country.

“But a lot of the Ukrainians are going back now. We still have a lot of Poles here.

“But the ones I worry about are the Africans. I agree with you on the Africans. We can’t be taking in people from the Congo and all these places. I think there’s too many from those places.”

When asked about Muslim people, Mr Ahern said he does not “worry about this generation”, but he does worry about the “next generation and the kids growing up”.

“That's when I think the problem will be. I said this to [justice minister] Jim O’Callaghan. That’s where the problem comes," Mr Ahern said.

The woman went on to tell Mr Ahern that she was also concerned about transgender issues and hate speech laws.

She then told him that she had been recording him and was going to post it on social media, because she believed it was “important that you've said that you disagree with Jim O’Callaghan”.

Mr Ahern denied that he had disagreed with Mr O’Callaghan, as the woman accused him of “not sticking up for the Irish”.

The woman then called Mr Ahern a “liar” as he walked away from the door.

A spokesperson for Mr Ahern told the Irish Examiner that “Bertie wasn’t aware he was being recorded until the end of the conversation”.