Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is one of only three genuine socialists in Dáil Éireann, according to the former minister for finance and current EU Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy.
Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday, Mr McCreevy said he was not surprised when Mr Ahern pronounced himself a socialist last year. He would have said "many, many years ago", around the cabinet table and among friends, that Mr Ahern was a socialist.
He said he could count only two socialists on the opposition benches.
When asked who the other two socialists in Dáil Éireann may be, he named the Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins - but indicated that he did not believe Labour politician and former minister Michael D Higgins TD was a socialist.
"Bertie in my view is a genuine socialist . . . He's one of the very few. I'm not by the way, as you probably are aware. And Bertie's one of the very few in Dáil Éireann. Himself, Joe Higgins and perhaps one other," Mr McCreevy said.
Asked if Michael D Higgins was the other socialist, Mr McCreevy said "Ah God, no".
When contacted last night, Mr Higgins dismissed Mr McCreevy's remarks and said it was his belief that Mr McCreevy was the "only person in the world with that assessment" of Mr Ahern.
"I had hoped his time in Europe would have improved his political education," he said. "I think it is a nonsense."