“Sorry look, comments get made and comments get retracted.”
That was the Taoiseach speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday shortly after his rambunctious Lost in Translation spat with Sinn Féin.
Micheál Martin wasn’t referring to the row over what he said to Mary Lou McDonald during Leaders’ Questions, but the remark seems prophetic now.
After her opening question, he replied the Sinn Féin leader was “ag insint bréaga” again (telling lies again) by stating, among other things, that he had “announced” the ending of rent pressure zones.
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“I didn’t announce anything,” he huffed.
Which is true. He was merely musing aloud on a flagship national radio news programme about changing RPZs, including their possible removal.
The “bréaga” brouhaha was a slow burner. Micheál’s remark sailed over everyone’s ceann – not just the Ceann Comhairle’s – until the Sinn Féin benches erupted in protest at the end of the exchanges.
It seems very unfair on Verona Murphy to use the incident to highlight her lack of proficiency in the Irish language when nobody else appeared to notice the Taoiseach’s transgression at the time.
There is a translation service available, but it’s not much use for off-the-cuff statements.
We were always impressed by the large number of TDs following long Dáil statements as they were delivered as Gaeilge. That was until one of them told us they don’t like to be seen wearing the headphones because then people know they don’t have decent Irish.
Mary Lou dashed off a letter to the Ceann Comhairle asking her to formally tackle the Taoiseach about his language and see to it that he withdraws the remark on the Dáil floor as soon as possible.
Verona carried out a rapid review and wrote to Micheál requesting that he “review his remarks in the context of the rulings of the chair on parliamentary debate”.
A formal mumble is now expected next week. The Taoiseach can speak as Gaeilge, as Béarla or in fluent Cork, in which case south Dublin-born Mary Lou won’t have a clue what he’s saying and he’ll be able to scandalise her again until Tommy Gould (Cork North Central) arrives with the translation.
A guide to schmoozing for Ireland
“Sorry look, comments get made and comments get retracted” was what the Taoiseach said to new Áontu TD Paul Lawless, who had an intriguing suggestion for him not long after the dust settled on the Mary Lou “Excuse me, he called me a liar!” protest.
The Mayo deputy took an unusual angle during the traditional Opposition condemnation of the annual St Patrick’s Day ministerial airlift.
This year, in response to worrying noises from the Trump administration, the Government is launching an ambitious charm offensive called Operation Blarney, mobilising an elite squad of Ministers who will schmooze for Ireland in the political salons of Washington and key target areas around the United States.
The plámás assault will be spearheaded by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, a clatter of Ministers and the Attorney General, who will be there to bail out any of the politicians who get overly familiar on the charm front.
Did Micheál call Mary Lou a liar?
Paul Lawless is concerned about how the members of this “huge” delegation will behave. He told the Taoiseach that because these trips are important, the Ministers heading off on them should be battle-ready.
“I do think that the Cabinet should undergo a degree – an intense level – of diplomatic training” he said, citing the time then taoiseach Leo Varadkar made “his inappropriate comments in relation to Monica Lewinsky, for which he was forced to apologise” and, more recently, when future Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris called US president Donald Trump a “gowl”.
Would the Taoiseach agree to special training for the Cabinet members to ensure such mistakes are not repeated?
“It would be a very boring Cabinet” replied Micheál Martin, with no offence to diplomats. “We are fortunate in Ireland in that we have great diplomats ... tremendous diplomats ...”
He’s already beginning to talk like Donald Trump in advance of Operation Blarney.
The Áontu man said he meant politicians.
“We’re all elected so you get what you have. We’re all elected by the people. We all have different talents, different nuances, different approaches – that’s the beauty of life in terms of political life itself” sighed Micheál, the previous ructions with Mary Lou already a distant memory.
“What about the ‘gowl’ comment?” persisted Paul.
The Taoiseach wasn’t going there.
“Sorry, look, comments get made and comments get retracted ...”
As, no doubt, he’ll discover himself next week.
The French senator who’s got some chic
Some news from France to gladden the hearts of all those free-spending officials in the Office of Public Works who harness their appreciation for the finer things in life so the rest of us can benefit from their exquisite taste.
You are not on your own.
A small bike shelter in the grounds of Leinster House for €335,000?
“Hold me manteau!” say the officials who look after the sumptuous Palais de Luxembourg in Paris where the Sénat sits.
They’ve come up with two replacement chairs for the upper house at a cost of just €34,000.
Gérard Larcher, the president and speaker of France’s Sénat, apologised and admitted it was a “mistake” when the price of his new chairs was revealed by French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné last month.
Apparently his old seat had suffered “intense” use.
“We should have been more demanding on the price,” Larcher said in an interview with Le Parisien.
As was the case here with Le hangar à vélos, the embarrassed speaker explained he hadn’t been told anything about the cost of the chairs and ordered an immediate investigation. He now expects to see “changes in practices” by the senate administration.
“We cannot advocate reducing public spending and not apply it to ourselves,” he stressed, acutely aware of the ongoing concerns in France over the rising cost of living.
Still, it wasn’t all bad. He pointed out that the initial report stated that just one chair was commissioned at a cost of €40,000 before tax.
This is not true as the order was worth “€34,000 exactly for two chairs and a prototype”. He added that furniture in the Senate “has a history and therefore a cost”.
Back in Dáil Éireann, the Ceann Comhairle’s chair has brown leather upholstery and sturdy padded brown armrests. The round spoon-shaped back is not very high. It looks heavy when the usher heaves it out from the desk before the Ceann Comhairle sits.
It’s very highly sprung, like the bickering deputies jumping up and down at Leaders’ Questions.
The Ceann’s chair has been in situ for at least 40 years and has been re-covered on numerous occasions. Time, perhaps, for a change?
Dear God, no. It’ll bankrupt the country.
Keeping up with the Healy-Raes
The new Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with Special Responsibility for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety is not a man to hide his light under a bushel. Or his cap.
He has thrown himself into his new job – even if an overseas trip for St Patrick’s Day with the rest of the Coalition’s ministerial team is a step too far from Kerry for him – with slick videos of him hard at work already hitting social media.
His presence at events around the country will always be noticed, and not just by the people attending them.
In his latest video, Michael Healy-Rae showcases his visit to UCD on Wednesday for the Agriculture, Food Science and Human Nutrition Careers Day.
Everyone knows he has arrived at the student centre because he is driven there in his branded car – a white Skoda Supreme estate emblazoned on all sides with his name and contact details.
Never seen that before. That must be a ministerial first.
On Friday, the junior minister and his brother Danny enjoyed a massive red-rag-to-a-bull moment when delivering the news that Kerry has done very well in this year’s share-out of funds from the regional and local roads investment programme, thanks to their mighty intercession with the Government.
“Healy-Raes deliver on promise for Kerry with €33.36 Million investment in non-national roads network” trumpeted a statement from Minister Michael, “something both myself and my brother Danny have worked really hard to deliver on”.
It was a great day for Kerry, in their view. “It is the dawning of a new era.”
More money is going into roads.
“The people want tar and that is what we will give them.”
This is what comes of being within a Government that gives “the Healy-Raes the ability to ensure that more money ends up in the coffers of Kerry County Council which will trickle down to speed up the process of road improvements for Kerry road users”.
And the lucky contractors who might do a lot of business laying tar for the council.
Now put that in your pipes and schmoke it in your bicycle sheds, Eamon Ryan and Ivana Bacik.
Leo Varadkar and the Hollywood star
The ex-PMs love their rugby.
Last week we told you about former Tory leader David Cameron, happy out and cheering on England in the middle of a group of Irish political leaders two Saturdays ago in Lansdowne Road.
And after Sunday’s clash between Ireland and Scotland in Murrayfield, whose photo went out on the wires and landed on picture desks around the world?
It was none other than heart-throb Scottish acting superstar Gerard Butler, enjoying the match with friends.
But picture editors on this side of the water were puzzled. For the man featured in the stands in Edinburgh was Leo Varadkar, former taoiseach and definitely not a Hollywood star.
A short while later the photo agency issued an urgent recall.
Leo will be disappointed.
