Ex-Irish PM Bertie Ahern quits political party over corruption inquiry

Dublin, Mar 25 (ANI): Former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern has resigned from his political party in the wake of a corruption inquiry.

The Mahon Tribunal into the Republic of Ireland's planning process accused Ahern, one of the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process, of not telling the truth with regard to a number of financial transactions in the 1990s.

Ahern's Fianna Fail party had been due to vote on a motion to expel him and other colleagues named in the report next week, but his announcement has pre-empted that move, The Telegraph reports.

"The last thing I want to do, given that I have now retired as a public representative, is to be a source of political division in the party I care so deeply about," the paper quoted Ahern, as saying.

"I appreciate the support that party members have pledged to me unprompted in the past week," he said.

"I have decided the best way that I can now serve Fianna Fail is to tender my resignation as a member of the party," he added. (ANI)