FORMER TAOISEACH BERTIE Ahern has rejoined Fianna Fáil more than 10 years after he quit the party.
A spokesperson for Fianna Fáil said: “We received a membership application and it was accepted by the Party.”
It’s understood Ahern has rejoined the party as an ordinary member.
Members are considered provisional during their first year and they do not have voting rights.
Ahern resigned from Fianna Fáil in 2012 after the Mahon Tribunal. He stepped down as Taoiseach in 2008 and as a TD in 2011. He made the move before party leader Micheál Martin sought to expel him from the party.
The tribunal (officially the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments) found that he did not truthfully account for payments of IR£165,000 made to accounts connected to him.
It was scathing in its treatment of the former Taoiseach, rejecting much of the evidence he provided in connection to a substantial number of lodgements made in the 1990s.
Although the tribunal did not make findings of corruption against Ahern, it proved hugely damaging to his reputation. He has disputed the findings.
In September, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin indicated he would be open to allowing Ahern back into Fianna Fáil.
Martin said that he had been engaging with the former taoiseach in recent times, particularly about issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol.
He said: “In terms of Bertie Ahern, I have been engaging with Bertie Ahern actually over the last year and a bit, since the rows on the protocol, and he’s very involved in Northern Ireland issues, he maintains contacts with different groups.
“From my perspective, like that level of consultation will continue because I think he has invaluable insights to all of that.”
Martin said that his former colleague has experience with a range of groups in Northern Ireland.
“He has reached out to communities in the north and is sort of picking up perspectives in different communities and that’s been valuable in terms of engaging and discussions on that,” the Fianna Fail leader added.
“No one can take from the contribution he made to peace in Ireland and to the peace process, so the fullness of time certainly we will give him that consideration.
“It’s very relaxed when we meet.”
When reminded that he sought to expel his predecessor from the party, Martin said that he resigned in the wake of the tribunal.
“As far as I am concerned, it’s 10 years on, I’m conscious of the contribution he has made to peace in the country.
“He made a very significant contribution,” Martin added.
With reporting by Press Association
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