‘Bertie still has plenty to offer’

(Above) Minister of State Robert Troy.

Minister of State Robert Troy believes that Bertie Ahern has “plenty to offer to people in Ireland” and he has no issue with him addressing a grassroots meeting of Fianna Fáil members.

The former taoiseach recently spoke at a meeting of Cosmhuintir Fianna Fáil, a grassroots organisation within the party. The meeting was attended by a number of TDs, including John McGuinness, Marc MacSharry, Jim O’Callaghan and John Lahart.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Minister of State Troy said that while he was not there, he does “not have an issue” with Ahern addressing the meeting.

“Bertie Ahern achieved an awful lot as taoiseach. He was one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement. He left his mother’s grave to ensure that negotiations would be concluded successfully. He is still sought after internationally by war-torn countries to speak to them on conflict resolution and I don’t see a reason he wouldn’t have something to offer to people in Ireland as well.

“People blamed some of his economic policies for exasperating the crash here, and some of the policies you wouldn’t rerun them. He has strong points in the area of conflict resolution and dispute resolution. A group of Fianna Fail people asked him to address their meeting. While I wasn’t at it, I don’t have an issue with it.”

Minister Troy was one of more than 20 Fianna Fáil TDs who told the Irish Times this week that the party should not rule out holding talks with Sinn Féin after the next general election.

“I advocated that we speak to them after the last general election. We live in a democracy and Sinn Féin got a significant mandate. I think it was wrong of the party to at least not engage. Some would say there was fundamental differences in terms of economic perspectives and that there economic policies wouldn’t align with ours. We are pro-business and pro-trade and you need those policies to create and sustain new jobs.”

While he believes that Fianna Fáil should talk to Sinn Féin after the next general election, Minister Troy believes that the current government will see out its five-year term. After some “teething problems”, he says that three coalition parties are working well together in challenging circumstances.

“We are working through a global pandemic and the focus now from my perspective is on the job of government. From my own perspective today I launched a consultation paper on a new examinership process for small and micro businesses. I am not thinking of the next election, I am focused on the job of work at hand.

“However, after the next general election I think all parties have a responsibility to engage with one another and I don’t believe any party should be excluded.

“When you are elected to the Dáil you hold a democratic mandate. That was my view after the last election and it is certainly not going to change in advance of the next one.”