Bertie Ahern admits he ‘probably shouldn’t have said’ remarks on immigration and Muslims

Former taoiseach says he regrets parts of doorstep exchange recorded during Dublin Central by-election canvassing campaign

Bertie Ahern says he regrets comments about Africans and Muslims made during Dublin Central canvassing. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said he has “no problems” with people from Africa or the Congo, as he admitted he should not have made comments about Muslims while canvassing.

The Irish Examiner reported on Wednesday that Mr Ahern was recorded without his knowledge while canvassing door-to-door in Dublin Central and being questioned about immigration.

He said he believed there were “too many” immigrants coming into the country.

“But the ones I worry about are the Africans,” he said.

“We can’t be taking in people from the Congo and all these places. I think there’s too many from those places.”

Mr Ahern also said he was not concerned about the current generation of Muslim people but was worried about the next generation.

Ahern says he regrets comments

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Ahern said he had been canvassing with a group in the North Strand early last week when two canvassers were “getting a mouthful” from a woman at a doorstep about Sharia law and Muslims, so they called the former taoiseach over to speak to her.

“I said what I said about Africa and the Congo, which I probably shouldn't have said,” Mr Ahern told the Irish Examiner.

“I said that my big beef, which is my big beef, is that the system is too slow. Then she got more annoyed at me, and she started cursing blind at me. She turned off the machine, and she said, ‘I've taped it’.

“I regret talking to her. I met hundreds of people who are and who have arguments and debates with me, but you can debate with me.”

Mr Ahern said he does not have “any problem with Africans or people from the Congo who come through the system”, noting that he was taoiseach when the immigration system was overhauled in both 2001 and 2005.

He continued: “The only thing I shouldn't have said to her, I tried to explain to her that Shria law didn't apply here. I tried to explain to her that Muslims here were not causing problems.

“I did say that Muslims in Britain, it was the next generation. But that's not my view. That'll happen in 50 years’ time, maybe.

“I said Africa, but sure, I was the one who brought in so many people from Nigeria and that. That is my view.”

Martin distances party from remarks

Mr Ahern also said that, in a speech in 2007 while taoiseach, he had warned that authorities needed “to be careful how many people you bring in, and you have to have a proper, robust system of bringing them in”.

He added that many people he meets in Dublin Central say their main concern is the length of time it takes for asylum applications to be processed.

Speaking at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin distanced Fianna Fáil and its candidate in the Dublin Central by-election, John Stephens, from Mr Ahern’s remarks.

He said it was “unfair” to suggest the comments reflected the views of the party or Mr Stephens.

“As far as we are concerned, I think it's not appropriate, in my view, to be specific about any given ethnicity,” he said.

“That's not, in my view, correct or not proper.”

Mr Ahern also said he has “no issue” with the current Taoiseach telling reporters that he should not have mentioned specific ethnicities.

Opposition criticism 

Daniel Ennis, the Social Democrats’ by-election candidate in Dublin Central, described the comments as “vile” and called on Fianna Fáil to clarify whether Mr Ahern would continue canvassing for Mr Stephens.

Labour candidate Ruth O’Dea, meanwhile, said that, as a former taoiseach, Mr Ahern “should know better than making such inflammatory comments”.