SMOKES & DAGGERS

A mischievous mix of political asides with JOHN DRENNAN

ONE of the curiosities of the Dublin Bay South campaign was the strange absence of the normally ebullient Alan Kelly, or ‘AK 47’ as he is oft referred to. One Labour source said: ‘It was, ahem, felt that the former leader Ruairi Quinn was a better fit.’ Despite the stunning result proving the strategy effective, the source added: ‘We might let AK 47 out of the kennel before he starts howling.’

THIS week’s by-election inspired one hack to recall the double bill of by-elections in Tipperary South in 2000 and 2001. Much to the chagrin of thentaoiseach Bertie Ahern, pictured, the Fianna Fáil candidates finished a distant third both times. The story goes, that each morning the FF and FG campaigns set up shop in local hostelries and, em, organised the ground war. Our veteran hack factually observed, ‘as per our editor’s instructions, we followed the campaign’.

ON THE Dáil plinth on Thursday one FF TD was slowly dragging his way to Dublin Bay South and told me: ‘I am going down tonight so I can criticise the campaign next week.’ This suggests next week will be special. Of course if FF showed that level of foresight in candidate selection, its result might not have been so bad.

SPIN DOCTORS to the Government have to be multi-talented.

Proof came in the form of

Minister

Stephen

Donnelly, pictured, leaving the

Dáil chamber recently, only to find attentive factotum

Páraic Gallagher waiting with a cup of coffee. ‘Well worth the €90,000 a year,’ observed one despondent TD of this latest example of how a future career as a barista is always available to the hard-working spin doctor.

SMOKES was impressed to learn that as part of its commitment to openness, transparency and accountability, the Government would issue a weekly list of media events. The list appeared on Monday. It was however rather short, containing just one event. But at least the Government is being open about it.