I heard recently of an old Irish aristocrat who would never pour a drink for his guests, but instead he’d let them choose their own measures. Too little would betray caution or even distrust. Too much suggested voracity of appetite.
John O’Dowd’s response to the finding from Spotlight documentary was that Sinn Fein’s £700k research that appears never to have been done is the only auditors worth listening to is the electorate:
An interesting political angle. Telling the Assembly you are going to spend money on one thing and then spend it on something else is a clear breach both of the rules and the law.
In contrast as Miriam Lord notes of Sinn Fein’s shenanigans in the Dail yesterday…
You have to hand it to Sinn Féin, the party which likes to remind people that their colourful legacy is not up for inspection.
This leaves members free to focus on dark periods they might see in other party’s political pasts, while roundly condemning anyone who tries to shine a similar light on the murkier aspects of Sinn Féin’s past.
Whistleblowers who do not criticise the party or the republican movement are embraced. Those who dissent are not so royally entertained, as Maíria Cahill discovered.
Just because they have no legacy to stand on, doesn’t mean you can’t step on their toes. Another tour de force from Mary Lou.
Speaking of thirty year old secret bank accounts, what about all those secret property owning societies? Perhaps the voters just don’t need to know…?
The Fast Show, again… “What you doing?” “I’m nicking it”. “You can’t do that”. “I can”. “I will nick anything…”
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
