Media hounded Bertie and pandered to opponents of Lisbon Treaty

IT started with political and media interests combining to expunge our former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern from the political life of our country. The effort was force-fed by daily half-truths and constructed exposés, as the media gleefully pursued the ‘wounded’ Taoiseach.

Once he had left office, the same interests, buoyed up by their latest kill, proceeded to denigrate his successor by lampooning him and devaluing his office as Taoiseach.

Then along came the Lisbon Treaty campaign when elements in the media, pandered to the no advocates. Here we are, after 30 years of European money and assistance which has raised our living standards, and now we have delivered a result that is more negative in our attitude to our fellow Europeans than they deserve. It was a treaty we had an active part in drafting but, like a child, we have taken the ball home so that nobody else can play.