ONE might have expected that when Bertie Ahern announced his intention to retire from frontline politics by the age of 60, the political landscape in Ireland might have transformed in a way similar to that in Britain during Tony Blair’s long goodbye as prime minister.

THE Green party decision to become junior partners government is a massive gamble, but one that had to be taken.

ALWAYS discussed in a ‘by the way’ manner, voter apathy is an issue addressed in the wake of almost every election or referendum.

THE old adage of not speaking ill of the dead was correctly upheld immediately following the death of former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey.