An Tree Shock

An Tree Shock, originally uploaded by infomatique.

An Taoiseach (ex)

Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008.

On 30 December 2010, in a speech to his party cumann in the Dublin Central constituency, he announced that he would not be contesting the 2011 general election.[66] Ahern said he had made it clear as far back as 2002 that it was always his plan to step down as a TD before he was 60.

Asked if he had any regrets, he said:
“If I had seen the banking crisis coming. Nobody advised me, no economist, all those people now writing books saying ‘I told you so’ – none of them.”
On Anglo Irish Bank, he said:
“I can honestly say that not once did anyone or any delegation that came in to see me ever say, ‘Watch out for Anglo’ . . . I wish they had have.”
Referring to the “great economic storm” currently under way in Ireland, he warned against excessive pessimism:
“Some gains have been lost, but in truth many remain. I dearly wish there was no crisis. I realise that it would have been better if some things had been done differently, but I will not denigrate the good that has been done,” he added.

Ahern will receive an estimated €135,000 as a combined ministerial and TD’s pension.