DRAPIER: The recent Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll was good news for the Opposition in general. Richard Bruton's soccer parlance in painting the next general election as a cup final decider was interesting.
As things stand, the Opposition is more and more shaping up to play the role of the Gunners while Bertie is starting to look like the ragged captain of a tired version of Southampton.
Porto beat Celtic in the UEFA cup final in Seville last week. The colleagues were very upset with Emmet Stagg, who insisted on making members repeat the vote by the slow process of walking through the lobbies, even though a vote had just been taken electronically. When the vote started, Porto were one up; in the time it took TDs to cast and recast their votes it was two-all. Still, deputies got to see the extra time which, for the first time, provided for a "silver goal". Porto won 3-2.
The Opposition should learn from this. Fianna Fáil need to be taken out in 90 minutes. There needs to be certainty. They should not give them the opportunity of a silver goal in extra time.
A Leinster House X1 tog out in Old Trafford this weekend to take on a Westminster selection. Drapier expects Niall Blaney to be the star of the show if he can make the journey. Sean Power will show that he has more than just a sense of humour, and the ambidextrous Jimmy Deenihan will tailor his gaelic football skills to do us proud at the home of Man United. Drapier is predicting a comfortable win for the visiting team.
Staying with soccer, Enda Kenny does not need a David Beckham corn-row makeover. He is doing well as he is. When Fine Gaelers wake up to the unethical behaviour of some journalists in putting down Fine Gael and promoting other parties, without declaring an interest, the members will show their mettle. This is a subject which Drapier will return to.
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The university fees fiasco has left a bad taste. There is no money for Community Employment in poorer areas, but Mary Harney could find €12 million to bail out Fianna Fáil and the PDs. Noel Dempsey has asked the OECD to conduct a review of third-level education. This is an excuse for failure to govern. Still, Noel has a long way to go to catch up on Micheal Martin, whose response to everything is to set up a study group or a review. No wonder the health services are in such a mess.
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The question on the minds of many Leinster House colleagues who are also members of local authorities is: will the President refer the Local Government Bill to the Supreme Court? There is a general feeling in Leinster House that she would be doing a public service if she were to do so. In any event, do not underestimate Michael Ring. He really does intend to challenge the constitutionality of banning TDs and senators from contesting local elections while doctors, accountants, teachers and others can do so. He has a point.
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Albert Reynolds has arrived at the gallery of the Taoisigh. The new portrait of a smiling Albert now hangs in the gallery at the entrance to the Dáil chamber. A very fine portrait it is, too. John Bruton is now the only former Taoiseach who is a sitting TD. His portrait will not go up until he leaves Dáil Éireann. Could it be that this might happen at the next European elections?
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This week Fine Gael launched a European defence policy. It really is time this issue got more serious debate. As the recent Irish Times TNS/mrbi poll showed, the majority of people are now prepared to consider what has been Fine Gael policy for some time. Even Michael Smith is getting in on the act. He is now proposing to amend the Defence Acts so as to allow Irish troops participate in EU peacekeeping. This is too little too late.
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Aged 25, John Paul Phelan is the youngest member of the Seanad. Drapier predicts that he has a very bright future if he continues to apply himself. His Fine Gael colleague, Senator Joe McHugh, will take a seat in Donegal North East with just a bit more effort. Drapier has been impressed with Fianna Fáil Senator Tim Dooley, Labour's Kathleen O'Meara and the forthright Mary White, the Fianna Fáil entrepreneur and chocolate-maker.
Mickey Joe Harte is not the only singer with connections to Fine Gael. Senator Frank Feighan, Frankie to his friends, is a really fun-loving crooner who is a great hit with the party colleagues.
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Drapier is reminded of the Groucho Marx line: "Hello, room service, send 100 roses to room 260 and put 'I love you, Emily' on the back of the bill." When the people have finished smelling the roses and realise that they are now paying the price of the Fianna Fáil-PD re-election extravaganza they will certainly react like a woman scorned.
The Fianna Fáil backbenchers who sustain their high-flying colleagues will also soon pay the price. In time they, too, will wake up and stop being blindly univocal. Disjunction between Fianna Fáil and the PDs is already evident. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth and ex-TDs won't even have a county council seat to fall back on. They have been "Cullenised".
Fianna Fáil and the PDs have about 70 spindoctors between them, all at public expense. Enda Kenny, Pat Rabbitte and Trevor Sargent, if he can smarten up the Greens, should not try to play at this game.
The alternative Government should instead be looking at the good and ills of Irish society. They should become driven by desire for a just society, a fair society, call it what you will. There is a perceptible yearning for more than self-interest and material gain. There is a real opportunity to give leadership. Drapier is not talking soccer when stating they need to start thinking outside the box. It is all to play for, but governing the country must stop being a game.