SMOKES & DAGGERS

A mischievous mix of political asides with JOHN DRENNAN

DECLARATIONS by certain ministers that they will give their €200 electricity rebate to charity have sparked scepticism in some quarters. One Fine Gael dowager bluntly noted: ‘I hope all those men have consulted with their wives and partners before making their grand declarations.’

ONE of the new rites of ministerial passage entails avoiding being snapped on trips to France with Ireland’s Champagnegate Ambassador, Niall Burgess – dubbed the most famous Burgess since Georgie in The Snapper (played by Pat Laffan, right). So far, both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have avoided a leak of photos. Next is Simon Harris, who will endure the hardships of Paris for St Patrick’s Day.

THE hilarity of Fine Gael’s indignation at not being invited to a National Women’s Council rally was summarised in the snap of one grandee: ‘I wouldn’t mind but Fine Gael created the first Women’s Affairs Minister under Garret FitzGerald. Gratitude is short.’ That was four decades ago, reader, in case you’re keeping count.

AFTER FG Senator Paddy Burke’s demand for justice for the ‘victims’ of Golfgate last week, one wag posited the real reason for his ill temper. ‘Paddy is very discreet. A lot of people in Mayo wouldn’t have known he was a senator until Golfgate. He’s been plagued by people wanting him to do constituency work since.’

THE 40th anniversary of Willie O’Dea (pictured) being elected to the Dáil for the first time would have passed unnoticed were it not for the kindness of FF leader Micheál Martin in alerting the parliamentary party. One source noted: ‘Reagan, Haughey and Thatcher were in power when Willie started. Possibly Chairman Mao too.’

AN OPTIMISTIC Simon Harris informed a youthful colleague last week that, when it comes to the Sinn Féin surge, ‘the Mary Lou for Taoiseach hoodies might end up in the same spot as the Gilmore for Taoiseach posters’.