FF faithful surprised at Ahern's war chest of €115,000
Saturday October 31 2009
FORMER Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's local organisation has €115,000 in the bank, it has been revealed.
News of the Drumcondra Mafia's secret war chest was delivered to the annual meeting of Dublin Central Comhairle.
It comes as FF groups around the country struggle for funds.
One local Fianna Fail organisation in a neighbouring constituency currently has debts of more than €100,000 and others find it nearly impossible to raise money in the recession.
Local organisations are struggling with huge debts after funding the Lisbon referendum campaign, the general and the local elections over the past 30-months.
a north-Dublin party member yesterday said: "Dublin Central has had a by-election as well as the other elections and the referendum so I really don't understand how they can have that sort of money in the bank."
Veteran Bertie Ahern watchers say the new transparency of his local organisation's finances is an indication that Mr Ahern is preparing to move on.
"All that spring cleaning and making detailed accounts public are sure signs that Bertie is getting ready to hand over the organisation to his successor," said one local source.
Treasurer Dominic Dillane told more than 80 members of the Dublin Central Comhairle on Wednesday night that they have €115,000 in the bank.
One member who attended said they were really shocked by the revelation -- and it was the first time they heard about the finances. The treasurer also revealed that a mortgage is owed on St Luke's, the constituency headquarters.
Last night, Mr Ahern confirmed that his local organisation is financially sound and said that there was a debt of €68,000 owed on St Luke's.
Mr Ahern said: "We have €20,000 long-term investment money and €80,000 in the (St Luke's) Trustees' capital account."
Junior Minister Conor Lenihan chaired the meeting and joked to the members: "The Russians could learn a thing or two about elections in Dublin Central."
Problems
Mr Lenihan told the meeting that the party had recovered from hard times and bad polls in the past and said they had come back to win elections.
The junior minister referred to the problems after the resignation of Supreme Court judge Hugh O'Flaherty and recalled Mr Ahern's first by-election triumph in 1982.
A reshuffle of the comhairle officers saw Tommy Cooke replace Tom Garvan as chairman and Simone Clifford take over from Teresa Kileen as Secretary.
Earlier this year, Mr Ahern said he would stand in a general election if it arose soon but with the government now looking more stable, he is clearly looking to the future.
- Sam Smyth
Irish Independent
