Ahern To Mark Step Down At Local Pub

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will officially tender his resignation after 11 years as the leader of the Daíl on Tuesday.

After his official duties involving the opening of the Battle of the Boyne visitor site with Ian Paisley, the Taoiseach will travel to his (now famous) local pub, Fagan's of Drumcondra, where he will mark the occasion with friends and neighbours, almost a week after his historic address to Congress in the US.

Current Tánaiste Brian Cowen will succeed Mr Ahern on Wednesday when he is formally nominated to the Office of Taoiseach in the Dáil.

Mr Ahern announced his shock resignation early last month amid mounting pressure over his personal finances, which are currently being probed at the Mahon Tribunal.

While continuing to deny any wrongdoing, the 56-year-old said he decided to hand over the party reins earlier than expected because he did not want the focus on his finances to create problems for the ruling party.

Elected Taoiseach in 1997 and winning three successive general elections for Fianna Fáil, Ahern is Ireland's second longest serving Taoiseach, after party founder Eamon De Valera.

The Taoiseach will begin his final day in office by travelling to Co Louth to jointly open the €25m Battle of the Boyne restoration project with NI First Minister, Dr Paisley, who is also standing down this month.

The Boyne scheme includes a visitor centre in Oldbridge House with exhibitions depicting the battle, audio visual facilities, the restoration of the walled gardens and a tea room and full-scale replica 17th Century artillery and military equipment.

Almost a year ago the two leaders met at the site where Mr Paisley presented the Taoiseach with an antique musket rifle used by one of King James' troops at the 1690 battle.

(DW)