Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern (born September 12, 1951), was Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland from June 26 1997 to May 3 2008. Ahern was involved in negotiating the Belfast Agreement and the subsequent St. Andrews Agreement. The resulting power-sharing agreement between the major parties of Northern Ireland is seen as his greatest achievement.
| Bertie Ahern | |
|---|---|
| 10th Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland | |
| Term of office 1997 - 2008 | |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Preceded by | John Bruton |
| Born | 12 September, 1951 Dublin, Ireland |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Ahern is separated from his wife Miriam. He has two daughters, Georgina and Cecelia. Cecelia is a successful romantic novelist and one of her novels is being made into a film starring Hilary Swank and Harry Connick Jr.[1]
Bertie Ahern is currently the subject of a judicial tribunal investigation into allegations that he received improper payments from businessmen in the 1990s.
On April 30,2008, Ahern addressed the United States Congress.
Ahern's First Cabinet (1997 - 2002)
In the 1997 general election, Ahern's Fianna Fáil party won government, forming a coalition with the Progressive Democrats, a splinter group from FF led by Mary Harney.
- Taoiseach: Bertie Ahern (FF)
- Tánaiste: Mary Harney (PD)
- Minister for Finance: Charlie McCreevy (FF)
- Minister for Foreign Affairs: Ray Burke (FF)
- Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform: John O'Donoghue (FF)
- Minister for Defence: David Andrews (FF)
- Minister for Health: Brian Cowen (FF)
- Minister for Agriculture, Food & Rural Development: Joe Walsh (FF)
- Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht Islands: Síle de Valera (FF)
- Minister for : Eamonn Ryan (Green Party)
- Minister for Social, Family & Community Affairs Dermot Ahern (FF)
- Minister for Education & Science: Michael Martin (FF)
- Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment: Mary Harney (PD)
- Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government: John Gormley (Green Party)
- Minister for Social & Family Affairs: Mary Hanafin (FF)
- Minister for Transport: Noel Dempsey (FF)