The Workers’ Party has welcomed the announcement by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD that he is to step down on May 6^th, saying that he had made his own position untenable through his continued bluster and delaying tactics with the Mahon Tribunal.

Workers’ Party spokesman Michael Finnegan said that the Taoiseach’s supporters were trying to portray a legacy of some heroic figure but that his real legacy was one of lost opportunities. However, "for Bertie Ahern to continue in office any longer would merely have brought representative politics into further disrepute".

“While the Taoiseach is praised for the Celtic Tiger phenomenon it should not be forgotten that he presided over a period of not just unprecedented economic growth but also a period of major crisis in the country’s health service, a housing crisis, a decline in educational standards and a creaking national infrastructure.  As he leaves office the boom is well and truly over and the multiple crises continue to hurt ordinary people”.

Mr. Finnegan said another part of Bertie Ahern’s legacy must be his total capitulation to US / EU militarism and the destruction of Irish neutrality.  “The taoiseach’s authorisation of unlimited US military use of Shannon Airport, and the negation of international law may be Bertie Ahern’s greatest betrayal of the Irish people”.

The Workers’ Party spokesman said that Mr. Ahern’s cabinet colleagues had followed him to the point of idolatory until the very last minute and, in particular his anointed successor, Brian Cowen had been sycophantic in the extreme.  “Merely replacing a discredited Taoiseach with his sidekick is not going to restore the public's faith in politics”, concluded Mr Finnegan