SMOKES & DAGGERS

A mischievous mix of (mostly) news

PRESSED for a reaction to Boris Johnson’s assertion that he could not hand Brussels the power to ‘carve up our country, a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the minister would not be commenting yesterday but that he would be going on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show this morning. Good to know where our political masters’ priorities lie.

WHILE Ireland is the toast of Europe for standing up to the Brits over Brexit, it’s not all backslapping and friendly banter.

Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis described Paschal Donohoe as ‘a chronic and pathetic finance minister’.

IT IS not easy to faze independent TD for Kerry Danny Healy-Rae. The outspoken politician barely batted an eyelid, let alone faltered in his speech, when his prehistoric phone started ringing on full volume as he addressed the Dáil Chamber. The old-school Nokia ring tone echoed around the Chamber several times this week.

DISGRUNTLED TDs were up in arms this week about the continued use of the Convention Centre as a makeshift Dáil Chamber at a cost of €25,000 a day. However, Smokes has learned that a number of TDs are missing the culinary delights of Leinster House. Some of them have been phoning food orders back to the canteen there.

TÁNAISTE Leo Varadkar offered some nuts and bolts advice while addressing the Dublin Economic Workshop on Thursday, telling them bluntly: ‘If your staff and your customers are sick – or worse still, dead – your business is not going to do well.’ Newstalk’s Seán Defoe joked: ‘Obviously doctors and undertakers are exempt.’

SIMON COVENEY this week received the European Business Press Award for his work as foreign minister. EBP president Christian Rainer said: ‘The prize is a replica of the oldest wooden wheel in the world which dates back 5,150 years. The wheel is an appropriate symbol of the progress, movement and forward-thinking Minister Coveney has emulated throughout his impressive career in politics.’