It's different here, I explained. We’ve a thing called Proportional Representation. We get coalitions of very different parties.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen warned opponents tonight that there was no vacancy in his office as he offered to sit down with disgruntled party colleagues over his under-fire leadership.

IT was like old times during a special reunion in Limerick last night. Bertie and Celia together again, both doing that routine for the cameras they did thousands of times as an international couple.