The man in the middle

Even Ahern’s most ardent critics have to acknowledge how much he has contributed to Ireland’s exceptional political stability over the last decade.

Bertie Ahern’s services to this country have been based, to a large degree, on his exceptional ability in negotiation, consensus-building and conflict resolution.

Nowhere have these skills been shown to better advantage than in his magnificent contribution to the peace process.

He managed to do what very few others have been ...