Ahern to stand for a third term
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will contest one more general election before stepping down, he confirmed today.
Mr Ahern said he planned to lead his Fianna Fáil party into a third poll in the summer of 2007 before stepping down in 2011 when he reached the age of 60.
“Whatever happens in the next election – and my aim will be to make sure that Fianna Fáil are back in government – that will run the period from 2007 to 2012 and 2012 puts it on the other side of Bertie Ahern’s political life,” he said.
He added: “I will do everything I can to make sure Fianna Fáil are in government in 2007.
“I will stay that term but I won’t be around for the fourth term.”
Mr Ahern said he and Mary Harney, the leader of the Progressive Democrats, were determined to see out a second full term of their coalition government.
And he said he would be delighted if the parties could team up for a third successive term following the 2007 election.
“You’re unlikely to see a single party being able to win an overall majority,” he said.
“That is unlikely to be a possibility into the future, in my view.
“If Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats continue to work together, I’ll be very happy.”
Mr Ahern said he was hopeful that his party could do well in two forthcoming by-elections.
“Our expectation in all elections is to maximise our vote, to go in and do our very best to win, that’s what a political party should do,” he told RTE radio.
“We’re very conscious that it’s not easy for anyone to win by-elections. Nobody’s won a by-election from a government position since Noel Tracey’s win back 23 years ago.
“You could win two, you could lose two – but we’ll be going in to do our very best.”
Mr Ahern celebrated his 10th anniversary as party leader last November.
He was first elected to the Dáil in 1977 and has been re-elected at each subsequent election.
He served as Minister for Labour and Minister for Finance before being made Fianna Fáil party leader in 1994 and Taoiseach following the party’s victory in the 1997 election.
