Ferghal Blaney - Down the Dáil
Electric atmosphere in Leinster House
Sometimes you can feel the electricity flow in the Dail.
I mean, there’s nothing like a good old row to get the blood up, to get passions flared and bring out the inner brawler in an otherwise mild-mannered politician.
But this week we also find out through the Mirror that the electricity really does flow around here, and you, the taxpayer, are paying for it.
That’s because the astronomical costs of energy have been revealed in this paper.
They’ve kept their arses nice and warm in here while the rest of us were struggling to pay the bills, some of us even having to decide if we could put the heating on at all some evenings.
No such concerns in Leinster House, why would there be, sure they’re not paying any of the bills, you and me are.
That’s right, we’re the mugs whose taxes fund the whole jamboree that is the Dail and Seanad.
So far this year, up to the middle of May at least, the energy bills for the Leinster House complex have almost come to a colossal €1.4million
In total, bills up to mid-May amounted to €1.38million, which includes €843,857 on electricity, €448,349 on gas and €86,349 on wood pellets.
That’s a lot of hot air to have fuelled.
But back to the other type of energy, the heat from a fiery argument, aren’t they the only reasons some of us listen in to all that waffle at all sometimes?
On the point of waffle, we have to mention here ‘the waffler’ incident.
Bertie Ahern, one of this column’s favourite characters, struck again just before Christmas in 1994 when he was maddened by a sneering Gay Mitchell of Fine Gael that wintry day.
Bertie was going red in the face as he roared across the Chamber: “Perhaps if you stopped waffling, you're a waffler, you’re a waffler, you've been years around here waffling."
Another day when things came to a head and hot tempers began to fray was the infamous Paul Gogarty effing and blinding occasion.
God, he couldn’t help himself in December 2009 when, as the blood kept flowing to the head, it simmered over and he roared: “With all due respect, in the most unparliamentary language, fuck you deputy Stagg! Fuck you,” at an increasingly bewildered Labour TD Emmet Stagg.
Of course, he apologised straightaway for that mad one.
That finally brings us to Solidarity/People Before Profit TD, Paul Murphy in the Dail last week.
Now, there’s no way you could ever accuse the brash, outspoken, forthright Mr Murphy of being a shrinking violet, oh no, he fights his corner well and gives as good as he gets in any debate.
It was disappointing then to see how he took such grave offence to Tanaiste Micheal Martin using the word ‘jackboot’ to describe how Murphy might act if he ever got into power.
He demanded Micheal withdraw the remark, which he did later in the day.
But the whole thing left the impression that Paul is getting a little soft.
Is it that posh, sensitive soul nurtured in the halls of Dublin’s salubrious southside St Kilian’s private school coming out in him?
This is remember, the same Paul Murphy who was part of a water charges protest in the winter of 2014 during which a frightened Labour’s Joan Burton was kept in her car for two hours.
I don’t know, looks like he’s getting a little precious now, because, in fairness to the usually mild-mannered Tanaiste, I’m sure he won’t mind me saying this, but getting a roasting from Micheal is a little like getting savaged by a sheep.
Bertie the chef
He truly is a man for all seasons, he’s almost becoming, that terrible thing, ‘a national treasure,’ Bertie Ahern.
And now he might be adding another feather in his toque blanche as Bertie the Chef.
It has been a good year for the ex-Taoiseach who left office under a cloud after the revelations about his unusual personal financial arrangements - a finance minister with no bank account, anyone? - were laid bare.
In truth, he has come across as very statesmanlike this year as he basks in the reflected glory of being one of the main players in getting the Good Friday Agreement across the line.
Da Bert has put in a good stint since before the New Year educating anyone who cares to listen about the truly historic achievement that was getting the Provos and Loyalists to down their guns 25 years ago.
So we are not too surprised to see that Bertie is on a little bit of a celebrity trail this summer.
A few weeks ago it was at a book signing for Irish Times hack, Harry McGee’s, new tome on the ‘Gubu’ Malcolm MacArthur case.
And this week he might be putting on the apron when he is the special guest of honour at the Leixlip Fianna Fáil summer barbecue next Thursday night.
Who knows, the talent spotters from reality TV might be looking for their next big star.
Bertie for Dancing with Stars next autumn folks?
Or maybe a spot on Love Island?
You heard it here first….
Fianna Fail really has it in for smokers, and now vapers
Micheal Martin did one hell of a hatchet job on smokers when he was Health Minister.
That was way back in 2004 and in the beginning the current Tanaiste got slaughtered in some quarters for introducing a smoking ban in pubs.
But it soon caught on and has been copied pretty much worldwide since.
Now we have Fianna Fail’s latest health minister on a similar crusade, with Stephen Donnelly aiming to stamp out vaping and e-cigarettes, especially among young people.
He’s showing a similar zeal, highlighting how the smoking companies, yes, of course, they’re behind vapes, are targeting the youth audience with their strawberry milkshake, cola bottle and bubblegum flavours.
Well his cause is starting to gain a little momentum with the bill calling for the stricter regulation of them, and a ban on sales to Under-18s, unanimously passing the first stage in the Dail with cross-party support last week.
Quote of the week
“By God, would you put the jackboot on people.” Tanaiste Micheal Martin gets hot under the collar with Solidarity TD Paul Murphy during a heated Dáil debate on neutrality during last Thursday’s sitting.
ENDS
