Former Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, has appeared in a television advertisement for New of the World promoting his sports column in the Sunday newspaper.


His political peers have described his appearance in the ad as terrible for Ireland. The advertisement was discussed on RTE's (Ireland's national broadcaster) show, "The Week in Politics".

Ruairi Quinn, the Labour Party's education spokesman said "I thought it was terrible for us. As an Irish person."

Fine Gael's health spokesman, Dr James Reilly "We give the taoisigh (prime ministers) when they retire from office a driver and a car and a considerable pension so they don’t have to engage in this sort of thing... I don’t think it is appropriate."

Pat Carey, the Community minister said that you can not dictate what former leaders did in their spare time. He said "What the former taoiseach decides to do in his own personal capacity is up to that individual."