Bertie Ahern does not rule out Presidential campaign
Bertie Ahern has not ruled out running for President, after he announced that he will not contest the up-coming General Election.
The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been leading tributes to his predecessor after the former Taoiseach announced his retirement plans last night in Dublin.
Mr Ahern said he had always planned to step down as a TD before he was 60. He will reach that birthday in September.
Brian Cowen said the announcement marked the end of an era and described Bertie Ahern as the "consummate politician of his generation".
Bertie Ahern's brother and Fianna Fáil TD Noel said he was proud of the former Taoiseach's economic legacy.
"Yes matters have unravelled, a little," he said, "but we retain much of what has been achieved and we just have to, sort of, regather ourselves now and move forward.
