The Taoiseach told the Dail that the €3.8 million payoff to the former chief executive of Eircom, Mr Alfie Kane, seemed "an extraordinary large amount".
Mr Ahern was replying to Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) who said that the financial package Mr Kane received on leaving the company had "scandalised ordinary people".
The Taoiseach said he had no responsibility for what a private-sector company did. "If Deputy Higgins is asking me to give my view, it seems extraordinary that somebody would get a severance package as high as that reported. I presume those figures are correct. I do not know the basis of that package, or what the arrangements were.
"If the deputy is asking me to share with him that the severance package seems an extraordinary large amount of money, I agree with that statement."
Mr Higgins suggested that the Taoiseach should acknowledge that he held responsibility for "this display of greed" because he had sanctioned the policy of privatisation which led to the sale of a public asset.
"Is it the intention of the Government to continue with the privatisation of crucial public assets, such as Aer Lingus, so that they too can go on to service the inflated greed of those who wish to get their tentacles around them?
"Can we hope that, in the quiet of the seasonal break, as the Taoiseach tends his hanging baskets or munches on mince pies, the Government will resolve to give up its old sins and quit pandering, especially to the private greed of that narrow sector of society who wants to get its hands on crucial public assets to make a killing rather than to serve the public interest?"
Mr Ahern replied: "When I listen to Deputy Higgins, I think back to the Soviet leaders in the bad old days when they brought in all those rules and followed all those policies. But they had five or six of the largest cars in the world."
He added that the Government's policy was to deal with relevant issues on a case-by-case basis and discuss them with the trade union movement, organised labour and the workforce generally.
There was no ideological reason for the Government's approach. "We privatised companies in recent years that were broken, bust and on the road to closing down, and we also privatised companies that were of good value and use."
Mr Higgins claimed the Taoiseach continued to protect the status of millionaire tax exiles who "swanned" in and out of the State at weekends, "the people who are seen tugging his sleeves at places of renown up and down the country or he tugging theirs at the Galway races".
Mr Ahern said that Mr Higgins was worried about what was happening at the Galway races. "I was also at the Dingle races this year to which, I believe, the deputy is a frequent visitor."
Mr Higgins said there would not be as many millionaires at the Dingle races, adding that the Taoiseach was probably the best paid individual present.
