SENATOR David Norris is not by any means the first politician to ask for clemency for a rapist but he is certainly the first to have to put ambitions to become President of Ireland aside because he did so.

POLITICAL parties failed in a number of attempts to reach agreement on a code of conduct for TDs and senators making representations on behalf of criminals being sentenced in court.

IF EVER there has been a telling story of the Celtic Tiger era it is how a mess was made of organising the provision of a sensible taxi service throughout the country.

AT 8pm on November 21, 2000, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Bobby Molloy signed into law orders making taxi licences available to anyone who could drive, had €5,000 and a roadworthy vehicle, stating: “I do hope that what we have done will now once and for all solve the chronic taxi service problems in Dublin.

AN enterprising, front-running ride by Andrew McNamara enabled Fearnwood Girl land the featured Irish Stallion Farms Novice Hurdle at Sligo yesterday.

POLITICIANS across the board will expect thanks for deciding, under pressure, to stop claiming pensions on top of other salaries they are in receipt of from the public purse.

FOR a country so unused to political resignations, despite myriad opportunities, these last few weeks and months have been a spectacular break from our usual fare of denial and intransigence.

“Fairness must be the cornerstone of all our efforts to achieve economic renewal,” Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said on introducing the emergency budget in April.

THERE was a frightening photograph on the front page of the Irish Examiner on Thursday of a seemingly endless line of people queuing for food at 8.30 in the morning at the Capuchin Day Centre in Bow Street, Dublin.

Political Correspondent Paul O’Brien traces the history of the PDs.

IT WAS not quite a Barack Obama moment but when, almost a quarter of a century ago, Des O’Malley, Mary Harney, Michael McDowell, Bobby Molloy and others established the Progressive Democrats they gave rise to a huge sense of relief and optimism among a considerable number of people.

THE Progressive Democrats were suggesting this week that they are going to fold up their tent and fade away.

THE credibility and judgment of politicians is once more in question following the perplexing failure of political parties to hammer out a code of conduct on the thorny issue of making representations on behalf of criminals being sentenced in the courts.

THE controversy over Deputy Kathleen Lynch’s representation on behalf of a convicted paedophile rapist again raises the issue of the value of political representations.

IN light of the embarrassing position Kathleen Lynch TD has found herself in after supplying a character reference for a rapist awaiting sentence, the decision by the Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore to urge his party’s TDs to exercise caution when supplying such letters is a sensible one.

A CODE of conduct for politicians on making representations to the judiciary in legal cases will be discussed at a meeting between government and opposition parties tonight.

IN JANUARY 2007, a Freedom of Information request revealed then Junior Minister for Trade, Tony Killeen, had written to the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell seeking the early release of a child rapist.

The Taoiseach will be making a terrible blunder if he tries to exploit the innate decency and compassion that people feel for him by abusing those who did their job in exposing his wrongdoing.

An appeal by a Connemara man against his conviction for raping and abusing his daughter has been dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

An appeal by a Connemara man against his conviction for raping and abusing his daughter will be heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal on Monday.

An appeal by a Connemara man against his conviction for raping and abusing his daughter will be heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal on Monday.

Two full ministries for the Greens would be in line with previous Fianna Fáil-led coalitions.

Today, most of the Green deputies probably wish to form a coalition with Fianna Fáil now — but they will need the support of a two-thirds majority of the party membership in conference.

NEWSPAPERS like ours get dozens of press releases from political parties every day, many of them reacting to the major stories or issues of the day.

MOTORISTS in Ireland may soon have to switch on their vehicle headlights during daylight hours as part of a new initiative being considered by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

CHARLIE HAUGHEY’S infamous description of Bertie Ahern as “the most skilful, most devious, most cunning of them all” was meant as a compliment and not a criticism, the Taoiseach has insisted.

BERTIE Ahern said it was only “with the benefit of hindsight” that he realised his “misjudgement” in accepting money from friends.

ROLL up, roll up for your seats on the mystery train ride that takes you through the long and dramatic journey of Michael McDowell’s political career. Yes folks, we can guarantee a spectacular rollercoaster ride.

TONY MARTIN’S After Midnight justified strong market support when winning the first division of the Rover Handicap Hurdle at Listowel yesterday.

THE Coiste Daingean Uí Chúis group profess themselves most depressed at my total lack of understanding in relation to the official name of the town of An Daingean (Irish Examiner letters, April 28).

FORMER senior Roadstone executives told the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday there was no evidence of political interference when the company privately bought State lands in Co Wicklow that contained large sand and gravel deposits 15 years ago.

FORMER Energy Minister Bobby Molloy told the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday he was unaware his predecessor had given a Dáil commitment that State lands in Co Wicklow would be sold by public tender.

NO improper, unethical or political influence was brought to bear when State lands were sold privately to the Roadstone company — whose chairman was financial adviser to then Taoiseach Charles J Haughey, the Moriarty Tribunal heard yesterday.

THE Moriarty Tribunal yesterday gave details of its latest probe into possible links between former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey and the private sale of State lands in Wicklow to the Roadstone company.

Special Olympics supremo Mary Davis is to head a new national citizenship task force to urge people to get involved in voluntary work in their communities.

THE Government was warned six years ago that its failure to tackle the annual toll of more than 400 fatalities on Irish roads was in danger of becoming a national scandal.

FIANNA Fáil election high command last night moved to face down a grass roots rebellion in Galway West.

YOUNGER viewers will no doubt find the TV series on Charles J Haughey interesting, and it will evoke memories for older people who can still remember the events.

WHAT’SONYOURMIND booked his ticket to the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham when making a successful debut, in very testing conditions, at Navan yesterday.

CURRAGH trainer Ger O’Leary’s first British runner over jumps ended in success when Big King took the Elizabeth Beckett Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase at Newbury yesterday under Tony McCoy.

GALWAY CITY is unusual. There are the PDs riding high in the national polls with a vertigo-inducing 3% or 4%.

MOTORISTS who use hand-held mobile phones face heavy fines or prison sentences under new legislation set to come into effect next summer.

JEFFREY DONALDSON is no Dessie O’Malley. Donaldson, for all his political skills, doesn’t enjoy O’Malley-like charisma.

THE memory of Connacht rugby player and all-round sports fanatic Dr Joe Costello will be honoured on Friday when a galaxy of sporting stars gather at Galway Golf Club.