HOW ironic that the company charged with decontaminating our water supply is now the most contaminated brand of the moment.

It started off as the by-election the Coalition could not lose and ended-up as the bye-bye election for the Government’s majority in the Seanad.

TO paraphrase that great left-wing political philosopher, Pink: “Joan’s coming up, but she’s yet to get the party started.”

WILL the Ming Dynasty continue to rule in Roscommon, and if so, is the by-election to be remembered as Micheál Martin’s last stand — the beginning of the end for his leadership?

IT IS the little things that find you out, as Enda Kenny is now realising with his spectacularly botched attempt to promote someone we have never heard of to a nothing organisation.

A ROLLER-COASTER campaign saw Scotland flirt with freedom but finally decide to switch back to safety mode and snuggle up to the south after all.

FITTINGLY, Enda Kenny was interrupted as he gave a rambling answer at the closing press conference of Fine Gael’s parliamentary gathering by the novelty ring-tone of one of his handler’s phones blaring out: "Quack! Quack! Quack!"

The new political season may be under way with the Cabinet reassembling, but coalition chiefs were only concerned about putting on a new face mask for the unreal political world they inhabit says Political Correspondent, Shaun Connolly

BANG! And there goes the gavel for the resumption of auction politics. Last seen in 2007, the post-crash version is a bedraggled shadow of its former self, but seems to be the only big idea an increasingly scared-looking Government has for the next election.

NEW Health Minister Leo Varadkar intends to focus most of his attention on one patient that has suffered a nasty fall recently — Fine Gael’s poll rating.