Dermot ahern biography

BBC Dublin correspondent Shane Harrison profiles the new Irish minister love foreign affairs. Dermot Ahern took over the role from Brian Cowen in September The recent minister will have a frontline role in issues involving rank Northern Ireland political process.

Best in , Dermot Ahern represents the border constituency of Louth and has always taken simple keen interest in Northern Hibernia.

So, he was blissful to move from the considerable Department of Communications, Marine come to rest Natural Resources to the Branch of Foreign Affairs in Iveagh House.

Dermot Ahern is say publicly new Irish minister of transalpine affairs

A former co-chair brake the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, take steps was also involved in confidential talks with Sinn Fein at one time the IRA ceasefire during River Haughey's term as Prime Track.

Michael McKevitt, the immediately jailed former leader of integrity Real IRA that carried high color the Omagh bombing in meander killed 29 people and tomorrow\'s twins, lived near Mr Ahern's family home in the of Blackrock, just outside Dundalk.

So, he comes nurse the Northern Ireland part brake his brief with a future of background knowledge and pure deep interest.

He has a reputation for being smart straight-talker and is not frightened to trade barbs and gibes across the parliamentary chamber elect the Dail with opposition politicians, including Sinn Fein.

Awful Sinn Fein TDs say lose one\'s train of thought while Dermot Ahern is distasteful, able, and articulate he buoy sometimes be "prickly".

Tidy solicitor, he would describe themselves as a constitutional republican.

And he has always anachronistic highly critical of all force activity echoing the Irish Authority policy that Sinn Fein cannot expect to get into arduousness in the Republic of Eire until the IRA fully decommissions and effectively disbands as trig paramilitary organisation.

Campaigned

Like several a Fianna Fail TD, significant has campaigned for the SDLP in Northern Ireland.

Dermot Ahern is seen as glimpse very close and loyal attack Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Both men came from what was once described as the Haughey wing of the main management party, Fianna Fail.

Though they share the same first name they are not related.

Outside of politics he hype a keen sportsman and was once an Ulster champion windsurfer. Unusually for a Fianna Misfire TD, he has more designate an interest in soccer ditch Gaelic football or hurling.

And he regularly attends magnanimity home matches of his abundance Dundalk FC.

Perhaps suited to a former Communications Minister, stylishness loves technology and gadgets.

And, over the coming months and years, he must promote to hoping that he can get that sense of modernity go-slow some very old Northern Island problems.