Taoiseach Bartholomew Ahern to retire May 6th

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday April 02, 2008 11:36 by Justin Morahan

Mahon Tribunal difficulties appear to have finally forced his decision

Mr Ahern has just announced that he will retire as Taoiseach on May 6th

In a shock press interview Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has announced that he will offer his resignation to the President of Ireland on May 6th and will retire at the same time as President of Fianna Fáil.

He was surrounded by Cabinet membersas he made the announcement and left without taking questions immediately after readinfg out his statement. As he left he was applauded by his Cabinet.

The announcement came before the opening of the Dáil where he was expecting difficult questions about the truth of his evidence before the Mahon Tribunal.

If the Mahon Tribunal was the cause, it is significant that he is stepping down because of this rather than for having destroyed Ireland's neutrality by supporting war without Dáil ratification and on an ongoing basis by his support for the US role in the ongoing war there.