LAST UPDATE | 13 May

MICHEÁL MARTIN HAS said his party “don’t approve” of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s comments on immigration, which he made while being covertly filmed.

During leaders’ questions today, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the government of using immigrants as ‘scapegoats’ for the State’s failures.

In response, the Taoiseach said Ahern had “resiled” from his comments, and stressed that the party “do not approve”.

Martin also said the comments could not have been part of a political strategy because Ahern was not aware that he was being recorded.

“No one could anticipate that any commentary of that kind would be put into the public domain,” he said.

Murphy responded: “What people say when they don’t think they’re being recorded is actually more valuable than what they say when they do know.”

He said it suggests that Fianna Fáil is playing a “dirty game” when canvassing, “to divide and rule ordinary people”.

Martin said this assertion was “unacceptable” and that Murphy was “mischaracterising” others.

“You’re no angel yourself now when it comes to politics, and don’t pretend that you are,” the Taoiseach told Murphy.

Responding to questions before an event this morning, Martin said it was “not appropriate” to single out ethnicities and insisted Ahern’s comments should not be extrapolated onto Fianna Fáil’s byelection candidates.

Ahern was canvassing on behalf of Dublin Central byelection candidate John Stephens and was covertly filmed during an interaction on a woman’s doorstep.

A video of the interaction was shared on X, and it showed the woman raising concerns about immigration.

During their conversation, Ahern appears to agree with some of the woman’s comments, saying himself that there were “too many coming in” and voicing particular concerns about arrivals from African countries. He mentioned “the Congo” by name and also commented on Muslim communities and future generations.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson said the former taoiseach “wasn’t aware he was being recorded until the end of the conversation”.

Ahern has since told the Irish Times that he has “no problem” with people from “the Congo” or Africa.

When asked about the video earlier today, Martin stopped short of directly criticising Ahern, instead pivoting to the government’s asylum and migration policies, including reforms aimed at speeding up asylum decisions and appeals.

He ended his comment by saying: “It was an exchange. It was an exchange on a doorstep”.

Labour candidate for the Dublin Central byelection, Ruth O’Dea has condemned Ahern’s comments as “beyond the pale”.

“The comments are nothing short of despicable, and as a former Taoiseach, he should know better,” she said.

Meanwhile, Labour councillor, and candidate for the Galway West byelection, Helen Ogbu, has called on Ahern to apologise for his comments.

“I was dismayed to listen to Bertie Ahern’s ignorant and divisive comments. Immigrants make an incredible contribution to Irish society,” she said in a statement today.

“Our hospitals and our care sector for example simply won’t function without the contribution of workers from abroad.

“To hear immigrants being singled out and scapegoated by a former Taoiseach and current member of the Council of State is shocking, the level of ignorance behind those remarks beggars belief.”

With additional reporting from Sophie Finn