SMOKES & DAGGERS
A mischievous mix of (mostly) news
FRIDAY’S Irish Times contained an advertisement seeking applications for the posts on the bench of the Supreme Court, High Court, District Court and Circuit Court, which will have made the hearts of ambitious barristers and solicitors beat faster. But the small print contained the chilling warning that their applications ‘will only remain valid pending enactment of any new legislation in relation to Judicial Appointments’, which is expected in 2017. Not a line to encourage our best and brightest to step forward. THERE was a little slip of the tongue from broadcaster Seán O’Rourke, pictured, on Friday morning when he referred to ‘health minister Simon Coveney’. Political life has been tough for Coveney of late, but not that tough, surely? THE arrival of a new polling company Ireland Thinks has certainly shaken up the political predictions scene. Smokes was particularly impressed by the synergy of a resumé that notes that the work of the company includes horse-race predictions. It has obviously learned the age-old axiom of political hacks everywhere: that the difference between a stupid horse and a clever politician is one of degree. THE current fuss is not the first time hotel accommodation in Ballaghaderreen has been a source of stress for our rulers. Smokes recalls the unhappy event many years ago when a group of civil service mandarins organising a function for Bertie Ahern found they would have to stay overnight in the town. When the mandarins approached a local, who was busy chewing some straw, and asked if there were any four-star hotels around, they were taken aback to be told: ‘No, bejaysus, there’s no hotels around here but there is a B&B on the main street.’ LABOUR senator Ged Nash says it is time for Independent ministers such as John Halligan, left, to be ‘judged on their actions and not their entertainment value’. Nonsense! After all, if we can’t get a bit of sport out of the junior minister and his eternally unsuccessful struggles with his conscience, what on earth is the purpose of having a Halligan?