SOFT furnishings from Brown Thomas; €2,116, a swanky new conservatory: €12,000; a sympathy surge after a sad-eyed statement when you’re sliding in the polls: Priceless.

TWELVE days more of a journey on a deeply uncertain course that will come to an end on May 24 with either a Fianna-Fáil led government and more of the same, or a Rainbow Alliance and more of the same.

ON each day of an election campaign, political parties find themselves in one of three positions.

AN election campaign without a whiff of scandal is unimaginable and, true to form, controversy has broken over the head of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, leader of the country’s biggest political party.

SO, Pat Rabbitte told John Bowman on Questions and Answers that he wouldn’t put Fianna Fáil back in Government.

I DON’T know whether you heard former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on Marian Finucane’s radio programme last Sunday.

THE political leader of the year is not Bertie Ahern. Sure, we learned a lot new about him this year but it wasn’t all good. He’s taken a few heavy dents in the past 12 months. For the first time going into an election, there will be no showroom shine.

I’M sorry but I know that lately we’ve been forcing-feeding Bertie on you like Brussels sprouts on a reluctant nine year old.

FIANNA Fáil is almost a unique phenomenon in world politics. In every election for well over 70 years, it has been returned as the largest party.