McCarthy’s cup runs over in Mullingar

DAN McCARTHY – leas-cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council — looked as if he had waited all his life for this moment.

Dramatically dubbed the "Mullingar accord" by over-enthusiastic spin doctors, the Opposition's joint plan for Westmeath is the first significant play by Fine Gael and Labour as they aim their sights on ousting the Government at the next general election.

And if the two parties were going to come together on his home turf, Cllr McCarthy was going to give the most passionate, and longest, speech of all.