Bertie Ahern takes Aim at Micheal Martin as he rules himself out of Presidential race

Bertie Ahern has said that Micheál Martin is ‘anti-me’ as he ruled himself out of the Presidential race.

The former Taoiseach spoke about potentially seeking a nomination from his former party for the Presidential election next month — but Fianna Fáil are leaning more toward former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin as their nominee for the party, with Mr Martin adding that he wouldn’t vote for Mr Ahern, even if he were the party’s nominee.

Admitting that he probably won’t be Fianna Fáil’s nominee, Mr Ahern also ruled out running as an independent, and had some choice words about current Taoiseach Micheál Martin, saying that he’s ‘anti-me’ and spoke about the Mahon Tribunal.

‘I suppose [Micheál Martin] saw in his view that there was a candidate 20 years younger and somebody from outside the party,’ Mr Ahern said in a message to his supporters. ‘In all my time in Fianna Fáil, I’ve never seen a period where the leadership really lose out in these things.’

Mr Ahern added that he wouldn’t be seeking a nomination as an independent, saying that ‘as a former leader of the party, I respect Fianna Fáil and its legacy far too much to even consider that independent idea. I’ve always been a Fianna Fáil person.’

Mr Ahern then criticised the current Taoiseach, saying that Mr Martin was against him running for the Presidency under the Fianna Fáil banner due to the Mahon Tribunal and the 2008 crash.