Let’s have more drink

had to leave Fine Gael to quickly get to Fianna Fáil and felt dissatisfied.

Surely, with Fianna Fáil supporting Fine Gael in a confidence and supply arrangement, it would make considerably more sense for the two parties to hold a joint party in the same pub next year. AS a group, we political correspondents are often accused of being rather too chummy with the politicians on whom we report and whom we hold to account.

However, regrettably, the opportunities for socialising appear to be shrinking. Sinn Féin never host Christmas drinks for the media. Over the past two years, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have held their drinks for the hacks on the same night. Last Wednesday, Fine Gael were in the Lincoln Inn of Lincoln Place while Fianna Fail were in Kennedy’s of Westland Row.

The two pubs are within 80 yards of each other. I