THE impending general election campaign has all the signs of being a nasty affair, to judge by the Seanad yesterday.
Opposition and Government members clashed as links were made between the delay in the State Pathologist's arrival at the scene of a recent murder of a youth in Kerry and the claimed frequency with which Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has availed of Government air transport.
The exchanges started when Mr Willie Farrell (FF) referred to the length of time the murder victim's body had lain in a field, and said the State Pathologist should not have to use 1897 type transport to get to the scene.
His party colleague, Mr Michael O'Kennedy, remarked that the Army helicopter had been used on the Dublin Tralee route, very, very many times by the Tanaiste. This had happened in the last two administrations.
They should ensure that this service was made available for urgent purposes, such as getting the State pathologist to remote murder scenes rather than bringing the Tanaiste up and down to Tralee.