FORMER TAOISEACH BERTIE Ahern said he regrets “if anyone was offended” by his comments on immigration but said “these are real issues”.

Speaking about the controversy on the Indo Daily podcast, Ahern said he “should not have singled out any one nationality or group of people” when he was covertly filmed speaking to a woman while canvassing on behalf of Dublin Central byelection candidate John Stephens.

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

During their conversation, Ahern appeared 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.

Speaking to the podcast, Ahern said he is “very respectful of the Muslim people” and he “rejects racism in all its forms”.

However, he also said it’s a “sad day” if “we come to a stage in this country and you mention an issue people are talking about and you’re jumped on”.

“My comments were never intended to target or demean any group of people, and in particular, I should not have singled out any one nationality or group of people, that was wrong.”

Ahern added that he was: “trying to express something many people across the country are discussing openly, the pressure that’s on housing, that’s on healthcare, that’s on public services, the challenges that come from rapid population growth and integration”.

When asked what his concerns are around immigration, Ahern said he “wasn’t talking about anyone that was here”; he was talking about “in the future”. 

He cited the UK and France where he said, “there has been in the second generation radicalisation of the children of people who come in at the start and I don’t have to remind people of what happened in several instances in France in recent years”.

Ahern was defiant in rejecting any suggestion that he was racist, saying he won’t “sit back and take those kind of comments from people”.

“I’m in no way racist. I spent a lifetime of bringing people together, working people together, getting people to work together.”

Ahern said he has shown support to Muslim people in Ireland over the years after Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, the chair of the Irish Muslim Council and chief imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland, called his comments “deeply disturbing”. 

The former Taoiseach said he was “very disappointed” in [Dr Al-Qadri's] and “was a bit disturbed about his comments”. 

Ahern said Dr Al-Qadri “knows the amount of time and support and effort that I’ve given to the Muslims”. The former Taoiseach thinks “a lot of people of the Muslim organisations, maybe are more thankful for what I did”.

Ahern’s comments were widely criticised this week, including by Taoiseach Micheál Martin who said his party “don’t approve” of the remarks.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers called his comments “totally wrong and inappropriate”, while Tánaiste Simon Harris has also said the remarks caused “hurt and harm”.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Thursday, Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said Ahern should consider apologising for what he said.

“This is not the Bertie Ahern that I know and respect and, in fact, I’m so fond of. This is out of character,” she said.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the 84th Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin. Conor McCabe Conor McCabe

At the opening to the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin this evening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin repeated that the comments did not represent the views of the party. 

While Ahern has said he was not aware he was being recorded when making the remarks, the Taoiseach said “that’s no excuse, by the way”. 

“I have no issue with discussing migration, but again, we have to be extremely clear,” he added. 

When asked if it was appropriate that Ahern was still out canvassing for the party, Martin said: “We can’t stop people from canvassing… We can’t physically stop people from canvassing. We give very clear guidelines to our canvassers in terms of the principles of the party.”