Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s attempt to blamed “Joe and Mary Soap” for the country’s financial meltdown drew the ire of Liveline today as many brand his comments about Ireland “living on credit” as disgusting.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Sunday the ex-Fianna Fáil leader said low pay workers had brought country to its knees because they got “cocky” and insisted on “second, third and even fourth homes”.

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“Anyone could walk into any institution and seem to get any amount of money and this is where the cocky bit came in.



“Unfortunately… Joe Soap and Mary Soap, who never had a lot, got the loans for the second house and leveraged the third house off the second house and the fourth on the third, and you know, what are you having yourself.”

The Tanaiste Joan Burton was also critical of Mr Ahern's comments.

Ms Burton said she couldn’t help noticing Mr Ahern’s “particular version of the crash”.

“In that particular - and peculiar - version, it was all Joe Soap’s fault, or Mary Soap’s fault,” she said in Mullingar tonight.

“Seven years after the devastating crash that Fianna Fail’s policies caused, Bertie Ahern is still trying to blame our people.

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“It’s disgusting.”



Peter’s comments on Liveline echod those of many others today, with a lot of social media users also taking offence at the former Taoiseach’s comments.



“Listening to Bertie Ahern, you'd swear he was not in charge for recession,” said one Twitter user.



“As if he was one who suffered! Butter wouldn't melt,” said another.

Online Editors