BERTIE'S BACK 'Fianna Fail needs to get back to its republican roots..

Ex-Taoiseach dig at Martin policy on North ,Party warned of an election hammering

BERTIE Ahern has warned Fianna Fail it could land its worst ever election result if it strays too far from its republican roots.

In what is being seen as a stinging comment on Micheal Martin's policies on the North, Mr Ahern said FF could poll as low as 15% if it abandoned its founding "ethos".

This would see FF's current tally of 38 TDs halved, eclipsing even its dismal post-crash low of 20 deputies in 2011 when they scored 17.5%.

Former Taoiseach Ahern was speaking at a private meeting of Dublin Bay South FF activists, where a recording was made which the Irish Mirror has heard.

The meeting came just a day after it was revealed that party HQ had accepted an application from Mr Ahern to rejoin the party, 11 years after he resigned before he was about to be expelled by leader Mr Martin.

Party insiders were split upon hearing the news.

Many feel his baggage from a controversial political past would damage the party, while others believe his past election mastery could do them some good again.

His resignation came after adverse findings against him by the Mahon Tribunal into irregular planning and payments.

FUNDS