Dan oh Dan

18th February, 2010

I was coming back into Leinster House last night for a Parliamentary Party meeting. Due to losing my car keys (one of those days) I was travelling by taxi. As I approached Leinster House I checked Twitter to seeing if anything was happening. To my amazement I saw that now famous (infamous!) post from Dan Boyle. My initial reaction was that his Twitter account was hacked into. How naive I am!

That ‘tweet’ led to the entire saga that has now gripped Leinster House this morning. The day, so far, has seen the Government barely win a vote on a Financial Resolution and has also seen the Fine Gael group now levy a motion of no confidence in the Seanad in Minister O’Dea. I raised all of this on the Order of Business this morning when I asked just what Fianna Fail had to do in order for Dan’s conscience finally win the eternal battle with the rest of him.

So what’s happening in here now?

Well, we’re waiting to see what Fianna Fail are going to do now in reaction to the placement of a motion of no confidence in the Minister. FF have adjourned the House to this afternoon @ 2. This is unusual as the Government normally adjourn the Seanad on a Thursday to the following Tuesday.

Next thing is the new point about a Garda passing on information to the Minister of Defence. I deal with An Garda Siochana nearly every day. They never, never comment on the specifics of a case. The fact that this was passed on to a Minister is of significant importance.

Minister O’Dea now describing himself as a victim is a line that he will live to regret. If the Seanad kicks back into action this afternoon this claim will be tested and the Minister will be asked to respond.

Finally, on an idle note why have Sinn Fein not led on this issue? This just amazes me. It is after all one of their own that was at the centre of this issue. It’s to the eternal credit of my colleague Senator Eugene Regan that he picked up on this issue and hammered away at it.  

Dan oh Dan