SMOKES & DAGGERS
A mischievous mix of political asides with JOHN DRENNAN
DURING a press conference with the three party leaders this week, Leo Varadkar laid into a media analysis of Josepha Madigan’s failure to secure nomination as an MEP: ‘Never a weaker piece of analysis and lack of insight and nonsense have I read in a long time’. Apart from the Yoda-esque syntax, close observers spotted a broad contortion of Micheál Martin’s face, later spun as a grin. It is unclear if he was laughing with, or at, Leo.
SPEAKING of weak analysis, FG insiders noted of the selection of Regina Doherty as a candidate for Europe: ‘It’s actually a great result for Leo, no unwanted byelection and a real chance of keeping two seats in Dublin Rathdown. We might even win an MEP seat with Regina too.’ Suffice to say, Smokes’ grin was broader than Micheál’s.
DEPUTY Mattie McGrath, irritated by the Tánaiste’s guile during Leaders’ Questions noted: ‘if they are trying to rename Páirc Uí Chaoimh, they should call it Páirc Micheál Martin because he will not play the ball on the pitch and deal with the questions.’
In response Micheál noted: ‘I appreciate the deputy’s plaudits in terms of my capacity to kick the ball around the pitch. I have to enlighten him that the position that the selectors decided for me as a young person was cornerback in an era when neither pace nor skill was at a premium.’
EX-HSE chief – and current Chair of the Citizen’s Assembly on Drugs – Paul Reid was in the Dáil bar on Wednesday night. We are told it is unrelated to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín telling the Dáil on Tuesday there was ‘no doubt’ drugs were being consumed within the walls of the Dáil and Seanad.
TRANSPORT Minister Eamon Ryan secured taxpayers’ cash for cycle lanes and walkways near his own turf. One wily TD remarked: ‘Bicycle lanes drive the voters mad, he’s more likely to lose than keep his seat if he builds all those.’