Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has been out on the campaign trail with Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fáil’s candidate in his old Dublin Central stamping ground.
The pair have not always co-operated so closely on the ground in the hotly-contested constituency.
Famously in 2007, Ahern’s political machine issued an eve-of-election instruction to constituents to transfer votes to his running-mate Cyprian Brady.
Brady was subsequently elected despite securing about half as many first-preferences as Fitzpatrick.
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Bertie Ahern on campaign trail for Mary Fitzpatrick in his old stamping round
But there has been a rapprochement as Fitzpatrick seeks to win back a seat for Fianna Fáil in the constituency.
She said on Tuesday: “Bertie has been out campaigning for me. He’s been out canvassing around the north inner city and Drumcondra.”
She added: “I appreciate his support, and I appreciate the reaction we’re getting, with or without Bertie on the doorsteps.”
Fitzpatrick says that any animosity towards her party was “a long time ago”, adding: “My god, that’s almost 20 years ago”.
“That’s the great thing about politics, it’s always changing. It’s always dynamic.”
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