Former Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern has withdrawn from the running to be the next President of Ireland.
In an online message to supporters, Mr Ahern outlined his reasons for stepping back.
Just last week, the Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008 didn’t rule himself out, despite the emergence of Jim Gavin as the preference of the leadership of the Fianna Fáil party.
In the message, Mr Ahern also claimed current Taoiseach Micheal Martin is ‘anti-me’ and spoke of the economy and the Mahon Tribunal.
Outlining his reasons for not continuing with a bid for Áras an Uachtaráin, Mr Ahern said: “I suppose [Micheál Martin] saw in his view that there was a candidate 20 years younger and somebody from outside the party.
“In all my time in Fianna Fáil, I’ve never seen a period where the leadership really lose out in these things.”
Bertie Ahern had recently expressed disappointment that he would not be considered by Fianna Fáil for the presidency
Mr Ahern also ruled out running as an independent candidate.
“As a former leader of the party, I respect Fianna Fáil and its legacy far too much to even consider that independent idea,” he said.
“I’ve always been a Fianna Fáil person.
“I suppose the only area where [Micheál Martin] has indicated in the past why he was anti-me was the Mahon Tribunal and the economy.”
He added: “I don’t think we can say too much about the economy because we were all in it together, trying to make sure the economy was the best we could.”
“The reality is that the economy from ’97 to today has grown practically nearly every year bar the years of the international recession which was a worldwide recession.”