New arrivals add an extra buzz to Leinster House hive of activityThe last Dáil became very dull, but jaded staffers are hoping for a little excitement nowSat Mar 05 2011 - 00:00
Angry electorate coldly voted to liquidate Fianna FáilFINALLY, THE tall grass parted. By God, but this was no rush job. It was a long time coming.Mon Feb 28 2011 - 00:00
High-flying Enda brings it all back homeCrossing the country in a chopper, security men, crowds – it’s all change for the taoiseach-electMon Feb 28 2011 - 00:00
Kenny and Gilmore love affair survives Martin's feisty intrusionWEDDING BELLS!Wed Feb 23 2011 - 00:00
No banana skin moments for regal Enda . . . but the Ringer was fit to burstFG leader at home with great expectations as pop-up candidate fails to withstand pressureMon Feb 21 2011 - 00:00
Fired-up big guns to emerge from fog of doubtIt’s the battle of Fianna Fáil’s vote-hoovering moustache and... Grandpa Smurf?Sat Feb 19 2011 - 00:00
The Eamo and Gilesy show - but not as we know itWith the Leeds legend by his side, the Labour leader insisted it was an election of two halvesMon Feb 14 2011 - 00:00
Nobody is immune from the bonhomie of Thumper KennyON THE CANVAS: Brace yourselves voters – Enda’s coming to a town near you and he’s got hugs in store for the disillusioned and…Mon Feb 14 2011 - 00:00
Hard to keep up the Nancy Reagan gaze when a rugby hero undressesLabour’s manifesto launch in the Aviva Stadium yesterday had many distractions, not least for an only-human Joan BurtonSat Feb 12 2011 - 00:00
Son of a boxer lands blows on GilmoreMicheál was quick on his feet in early rounds but he can’t skip away from his years in officeWed Feb 09 2011 - 00:00
Gilmore leads Labour to new heights to emphasise gravity of situationHigh above Dublin in Guinness’s Gravity Bar, the Labour leader showcased his party’s lofty ambitionsThu Feb 03 2011 - 00:00
Enda makes it a star turn as his 102 Dáilmatians reach for the skyEnda Kenny assembled his pack of eager Dáil candidates to smile for the camera and follow his five-pointed starMon Jan 31 2011 - 00:00
And the winner is . . . Martin by a smile, thanks to a brilliantly inoffensive offensiveMICHEÁL MARTIN won by a mile, thanks to a brilliantly inoffensive offensive.Thu Jan 27 2011 - 00:00
Gibbering wrecks on all sides as political landscape shuddersLOOK AT them: our poor huddled mass of Ministers and their uncomfortable multiple briefsWed Jan 26 2011 - 00:00
Parties reach unity, of a sort, just before the glorious disarray of an electionThe President will have plenty of time to dust down the good china and put the kettle onTue Jan 25 2011 - 00:00
Dithering coalition goes down in blaze of ignominyBiffo should have left months ago – or his lily-livered lieutenants should have pushed himMon Jan 24 2011 - 00:00
Party discipline goes out the window in Fianna Fáil's very public implosionEven those who said they would go to hell and back for Cowen were a picture of miseryFri Jan 21 2011 - 00:00
If Biffo tempts you with the offer of a position in Cabinet: JUST. SAY. NOPLUM JOBS, once upon a time. Ministerial prunes now.Thu Jan 20 2011 - 00:00
A polite fight to the political death being waged across the airwavesTHEY’RE AGOG in Abu DhabiTue Jan 18 2011 - 00:00
Sinn Féin's sucker punch takes the wind out of Taoiseach but no doubt he's forgotten it alreadyDÁIL SKETCH: Swanky Shinners sink a hole in one as Cowen’s memory fails to conjure up elephant in the roomThu Jan 13 2011 - 00:00
Baby girl for Joe and a song for Biffo to croon at Christmas drinksDÁIL SKETCH: Thank heavens for the Christmas recess – no more talk of haircuts, bonuses and mark-upsThu Dec 16 2010 - 00:00
Cowen is a beaten docket, but he's feeling good about itDÁIL SKETCH: Just when it’s far too late, the Taoiseach’s appetite for the fight seems to have returnedThu Dec 09 2010 - 00:00
Biffo unveils the trickle-up effect in city on the slideDÁIL SKETCH : Though Cowen gave the ABCs of EROs and REAs, the day belonged to one initialism – the MoUThu Dec 02 2010 - 00:00
Dark days as plug pulled on illuminating Oireachtas gatheringDAIL SKETCH: IT’S A nice tradition, the annual switching on of the Leinster House Christmas tree lights.Wed Dec 01 2010 - 00:00
In Donegal Sinn Féin winner is raised to the rafters - and not a Tricolour in sightTHE WINNER stood tall, penned in by the pungent embrace of his overheated supporters.Sat Nov 27 2010 - 00:00
As Bailout Boys dish out contagion remedy, it's all over bar the spoofingThe pain of withdrawal symptoms was etched on the faces of the Government as they launched the National Wreckovery PlanThu Nov 25 2010 - 00:00
Hush falls as caretaker Cowen speaks softly and takes stickDÁIL SKETCH: TAOISEACH IS still the title, but caretaker is now the job.Wed Nov 24 2010 - 00:00
Final whistle is only thing Biffo has yet to blowBRIAN COWEN may not have been elected Taoiseach by the people, but he has squatter’s rights now and it’ll take more than the …Tue Nov 23 2010 - 00:00
Biffo tells gasping Dáil there's no such thing as a bailoutDÁIL SKETCH: Taoiseach insists Bailout Boys from abroad are merely dropping by for some ‘engagement’Thu Nov 18 2010 - 00:00
Europe - it's not us, it's youDAIL SKETCH: THE PATIENT is a basket case and refusing treatment.Wed Nov 17 2010 - 00:00
Unbearable lightness of being Brian not catching onDÁIL SKETCH: An aural assault takes its toll before the mandarin mystery gets ears twitching againThu Nov 11 2010 - 00:00
Taoiseach up against it with morbid Morgue and Angel of DebtDÁIL SKETCH: Biffo bids to stay sunny but negative onslaught suggests he may be just too semi-detachedWed Nov 10 2010 - 00:00
'Let them eat cheese' approach fails to butter up electorateIRELAND ENTERED the Twilight Zone yesterday – tipped into another dimension by a gaffe-prone Government’s cheesy attempt to butter…Sat Nov 06 2010 - 00:00
'Let them eat cheese' approach fails to butter up electorateIreland entered the Twilight Zone yesterday – tipped into another dimension by a gaffe-prone Government’s cheesy attempt to butter…Sat Nov 06 2010 - 00:00
Economy won't be the only wreck for long as Coalition runaway train heads for the buffersOUR RUNAWAY train is coming to the end of the lineFri Nov 05 2010 - 00:00
Caught bang to rights trying to subvert democracy to save their skinsDÁIL SKETCH: That the Government was told off over delaying a byelection is neither here nor thereThu Nov 04 2010 - 00:00
This 'man overboard' had long since cast himself adriftDÁIL SKETCH: “ANOTHER MAN overboard today,” remarked a jaunty Enda Kenny from the crow’s nest of OppositionWed Nov 03 2010 - 00:00
Arctic Ahern keeps his head when all about him are losing theirsDÁIL SKETCH: DERMOT AHERN, and the way he might look at you.Fri Oct 29 2010 - 01:00
Nothing added but time as effervescent Brians keep turning corners on highway to hellDAIL SKETCH: THERE’S A big difference between turning corners and going around the bend.Thu Oct 28 2010 - 01:00
Time passes slowly during afternoon tea in Biffo's officeDÁIL SKETCH: TICK, TOCK, tick, tock...Thu Oct 21 2010 - 01:00
Cowen puts faith in Nirvana but Gilmore and Kenny in no mood for entertainmentDÁIL SKETCH: A LITTLE ray of sunshine is warming the polar night of Irish politics.Wed Oct 20 2010 - 01:00
Miriam Lord's WeekHunt over for Labour’s Tommy Broughan, Irish Times columnist gives it straight to FF, Ginger spices up Limerick expansion debate…Sat Oct 16 2010 - 01:00
Press gathers in anticipation of Baldy's hair-raising descent into chaosDÁIL SKETCH: AN ASHEN-FACED Michael Noonan stands on the steps of the Department of FinanceThu Oct 14 2010 - 01:00
Boutros Boutros-Gormley pushes the envelopeDÁIL SKETCH: THE UN’S loss is Ireland’s gain.Wed Oct 13 2010 - 01:00
Nostalgia time at Leaders' Questions as old-favourites get another outingDAIL SKETCH: OLD BERTIE Hubbard (stuck in a cupboard) wasn’t in the chamber to witness his successor administering the Last …Thu Oct 07 2010 - 01:00
Counsel sticks the boot in as Ivor the Driver's challenge revs upIT WAS a big day in the Four Courts yesterday for Labour Senator Alex White.Wed Oct 06 2010 - 01:00
Take comfort weary TDs - only 33 sitting days till ChristmasDÁIL SKETCH: THE DÁIL is back. Happy new year, lads. Only 33 sitting days left until ChristmasThu Sept 30 2010 - 01:00
Cowen's alma mater a coveted panaceaThe pep in a politician’s step turned into another language malfunction yesterday – without a flicker from the bossThu Sept 23 2010 - 01:00
No need for grapes or even wrath - Brian is backWE KNEW the turbulence of the last week had taken its toll on the Taoiseach, but when we inquired about his whereabouts the answer…Wed Sept 22 2010 - 01:00
Journeying Senator chooses road not taken to courtFREE THE Clontarf One! Justice for Ivor! Up Cork! We, the members of The Callely Solidarity Movement (incorporating the Cork/…Wed Sept 08 2010 - 01:00
