Chapter 1: What controversial comments did Bertie Ahern make about immigration?
Louise Byrne, what has Bertie O'Hearn been saying about his controversial comments that were recorded on a doorstep during a canvas in Dublin Central?
quite an interesting I think 24 hours for Bertie O'Hearn and I'm sure many people would have seen the video at this point that shows Bertie O'Hearn unknowingly being recorded while out canvassing in Dublin Central. I've been speaking to Bertie O'Hearn in the last little while and He has said that he has no problem with people from Africa or from the Congo.
And that is in reference to comments he made during the course of conversation with someone on her doorstep, where he said that he believed that there was too many immigrants coming into Ireland, that the ones he worried about are the Africans. That's a quote. And another quote, we can't be taking in people from the Congo and all these places. He's accepted now that he
He, you know, he regrets speaking to the woman in the first instance, he said to me, but he said he probably shouldn't have said what he said. Another comment that he made is that he's not worried about the current generation of Muslim people and that where problems could arise is with the next generation of Muslim people.
Chapter 2: What was Bertie Ahern's response to his remarks about immigrants from Africa?
He said he also shouldn't have said that.
OK, let's take a quick listen of what Bertie Hearn was recorded as saying.
I think there's too many coming in. I think we have to take some in. I have no problem with the Ukrainians because, you know, in fairness, the Russian moved in and warned our country. But a lot of the Ukrainians are going back now. And we still have a lot of Poles here. But the ones I worry about are the Africans. Yeah. I don't agree with you on the Africans.
Chapter 3: How did political analysts react to Ahern's comments?
We can't be taking in people from the Congo and all these places. Yeah.
Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government at DCU. Is this a proper controversy or should we be paying too much attention to what Bertie O'Hearn had to say?
I think a little bit of both, Danny. It's important because Berthier Hearn is a former Taoiseach. Taoiseach for close to 11 years, between 1997 and 2008. So any time former Taoiseach make interjections in public debates is probably noteworthy in itself.
And to the opposite point, I mean, Berthier Hearn is very much yesterday's man in Fianna Fáil, as I think the Taoiseach made clear today when he said Berthier Hearn didn't speak for Fianna Fáil. Remember, Berthier Hearn hasn't
Chapter 4: What impact could Ahern's comments have on the upcoming bye-elections?
Stood for an election since 2007. And Fianna Fáil haven't had a TD in Dublin Central since he resigned. His brother ran In the 2009 by-election, Maurice Ahern came, I think, fifth, getting a very poor vote. Dublin Centre has been a bit of a wasteland for Fianna Fáil since.
So in that context, you can see why Micheál Martin probably didn't want Berkeley Ahern running as the Fianna Fáil candidate for president, although it didn't work out with Jim Gavin either. And I suspect that this will probably dissipate over the next few days.
But it does go to the idea of whether politicians are speaking straight up when they're talking to people on the doors or whether they're sort of. Speaking slightly, Jane is faced, as I think Bertie O'Hearn himself rather admitted today, as Louise has just told us when he clarified his remarks.
Louise, Bertie O'Hearn is known to be very close to John Stevens and I'll declare my interest.
Chapter 5: Who are the main candidates in the Dublin Central bye-election?
This is my local area, so I know the personalities pretty well. John Stevens is a Bertie O'Hearn acolyte. So has there been any attempt by John Stevens to distance himself from Bertie O'Hearn or to say, listen, he doesn't share those views or what has the candidate himself been saying?
Nothing yet. And I think that's kind of the interesting part of it. And canvassing is obviously continuing and there will be reporters out with John Stevens today. I know we were trying to get out with him yesterday to no avail. But I think it will be interesting to see what he has to say, because like you said, he is perceived as being quite friendly with Bertie Ahern.
You know, the Taoiseach, I asked the Taoiseach earlier, you know, did these comments represent the views of Fianna Fáil and of John Stevens, which the Taoiseach actually tried to tell me that was an unfair thing to suggest. But at the end of the day, Brady Hearn is out knocking on doors for John Stevens.
Chapter 6: What are the dynamics of the election race in Dublin Central?
It's going to be interesting to see how he deals with this, how he addresses it. I think it's certainly made easier for him by the fact that Bertie seemed to have resiled a little bit. And as someone, they half jokingly said it to me earlier, to be honest, but they had a point.
You know, in some areas in Dublin Central, Bertie Hearn's comments could help John Stevens, but in other places it could actually hurt him because it is quite a diverse community in one sense, But then in another sense, there's also been a hotbed for a lot of those anti-immigration protests we've seen.
So it's an interesting one, but I think how John Stevens deals with this next is going to be the interesting part.
That's it, Gary. I mean, has Bertie Ahern almost damned John Stevens on the double here? He's gotten himself in trouble by making the original comment and then by seeking to be resigning from it, he's now kind of almost compounded that sin.
Yeah, I mean, I was a bit surprised given how experienced Bertie Ahern is that he sort of...
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Chapter 7: How might the controversy affect John Stevens' campaign?
I fell into whether it was a trap might be a bit too much to say, but like, he could simply have said that there was a problem with illegal immigration and that legal immigration is appropriate, which is kind of what he, I think, tried to say, but he kind of mucked it up.
But it's made it very difficult, I think, for John Stevens, because the constituency is as one, you just kind of divide a constituency between those who have strong sort of anti-immigrant views and those who might have an opposing viewpoint. And this comes, of course, in the wake of
with the controversy over the Dublin rose, actually, and sort of some of the rather disgusting comments that have been aimed in her direction. And so I think it is very difficult for the candidate. But to be fair to Fianna Fáil and to the Taoiseach, I think he is the Taoiseach's candidate, whether No matter how close he is to Bertie Ahern, he's the Fianna Fáil candidate.
He's not the Ahern candidate. And I think the Taoiseach probably, by coming out strongly, has made things a little easier for him.
Chapter 8: What future challenges does Fianna Fáil face in Dublin Central?
But I've always thought this is going to be a very difficult election for Fianna Fáil. I mean, I don't give John Stevens much of a chance, literally because of the history over the last 15 years of Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central. And just the way the constituency is, like it is a left-leaning constituency. In my view, it's a far more important election for Sinn Féin.
But that might be for another day.
No, let's get into that now, because I think that's a very fair point. Louise, like you're on the ground, you're out doing the canvases with the candidates. What's your sense of where the race is at? Because we know there's probably, I think there's a kind of a poll due out tomorrow night, which will give us our first indication of how the runners and riders are doing.
But what's your sense from on the ground? I mean, who is genuinely in contention? Because as a by-election, you need 50% plus one to get over the line on this one.
Yes, and it's a much more difficult election for everyone compared to the last general election where really you only needed a quota. And I think what's been really interesting is everyone that you speak to, and in fairness, and I have witnessed this myself out on campuses, people aren't necessarily nasty to you on the doors. They listen to what you have to say. They talk to you.
they don't necessarily say they're going to vote for you. But then that turns into political parties saying, oh, we're getting such a warm reception on the doors. It's fantastic. So I think what a lot of people are suggesting is that Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats might be the front runner.
But speaking to people in other parties, they're saying that, you know, his name is not coming up when they're speaking to constituents. One person who would be knocking on a lot of doors in Dublin Central said to me yesterday that they're actually hearing
Malachy Steenson and Gerry Hutch mentioned more than Daniel Ennis other people are saying that they believe it's Janice Boylan for the taking the Sinn Féin candidate that because Mary Lou Macdonald is a TD for that constituency that she has more of an advantage or at least she should have more of an advantage Yeah but you and I know Louise all is not well within Sinn Féin on that front
No, indeed. And Janice Boylan and Mary-Lou MacDonald also have a history. And I think what was remarkable is the fact that Mary-Lou hasn't been able to pull in a running mate. And we all know as well that Janice Boylan wasn't necessarily her preferred candidate for this race. So what impact is that going to have Will a lot of it be a personal vote for Mary Lou that will transfer to Janice?
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