Bye Bye Bertie

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has confirmed he will not be standing in the upcoming general election, bringing to an end one of the most successful and controversial careers in Irish politics.

Mr Ahern joined Fianna Fail at just 19-years-of-age, and his retirement comes ahead his 60th birthday next September.

His life was devoted to politics, and since being first elected as a TD in 1977, he has served in several senior Ministries including Labour, Industry and Commerce, and Finance.

He was Taoiseach for 11 years - the second longest in the history of the State.

His crowning achievement will always be his role in the Northern Irish Peace Process, and his skill in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

He will be remembered as the Taoiseach who presided over the biggest economic boom in the country's history, but whose policies contributed significantly to the biggest bust.

And questions remain about his financial affairs in the 1990s, and whether or not he took money for personal use from a number of businessmen.

Announcing his decision to retire, Mr Ahern sought to defend his achievements and decisions while Taoiseach.

"I dearly wish there was no crisis," he said, "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, or belittle the effort it took to achieve it."

Speaking to his local Fianna Fail branch in Drumcondra, Dublin, Mr Ahern said he believed that, in time, his contribution to the country, would be recognised.

"It is not given to anyone who tries and tries again not to sometimes fail. Years of apparently great success then are apparently tainted by great failures now," he said.

"But the truth is more complex, and in time it will be viewed more dispassionately. The raw emotion of real shock means it is too soon to take stock.

"But when that stock is taken, when the 11 years I had the honor to be Taoiseach are more coldly considered, the many positives will be put into the balance with the negatives.

"The perspective of what lasted and what was washed away will be clear."

Mr Ahern listed his achievements, and in particular reminded his supporters of the importance of the Good Friday Agreement.

"Every single day I thank God I have lived to see peace fulfilled," he said.

"I am proud of what I have achieved in politics ... if there must be some recognition of where we went wrong, there has to be clarity about what we got right."

He said some criticism levelled at him was deeply exaggerated and grossly unfair.

Current Taoiseach Brian Cowen paid tribute to Bertie Ahern saying his retirement marked the "end of an era".

"He is without doubt the consummate politician of our generation in this country," said Mr Cowen, "He is a person of rare ability and extraordinary talent."

Describing him as a close colleague and a good friend, Mr Cowen said he admired Bertie Ahern for his leadership skills, his political instincts and his courtesy.

He said Mr Ahern was an electoral phenomenon, and the first Irish leader to win three successive general elections since Eamon DeValera in the 1940s.

It's not known if Bertie Ahern will run for President later this year, although he has indicated in the past that he would like to hold the office.

Fianna Fail insiders say they want to see how the general election unfolds before making any decision on who will be the party's candidate for the presidency.

And Mr Ahern, despite his huge electoral successes, would struggle to win the race to the Aras, as his reputation has been badly damaged by the economic crisis.

And the Mahon Tribunal is due to give its verdict sometime this year on the financial irregularities that led to his demise as Taoiseach.

Throughout his political career, Bertie Ahern was known as the Teflon Taoiseach - because nothing stuck to him, and he seemed able weather any political storm.

However, as the old political adage goes, all political careers end in failure, and Mr Ahern's reputation has come unstuck as his time in Dail Eireann comes to a close.