Cox hits road with Eurovision show

FROM the Baldy Bus to the Cox Coach. In its latest incarnation the Classic Coaches luxury green bus with the tinted windows has the chance to lay the demons of its last political campaign to rest.

Just months ago it was the Fine Gael Battle Bus, whisking Michael Noonan around the country, but now it’s touring the nation with Pat Cox’s Eurovision Vote Contest.

Let’s hope the coach isn’t jinxed.

The previous day its sister bus (there’s only two of them in the country) was doing a low key tour of Dublin with the UEFA weapons inspectors.

But Pat’s chat is intended to be high profile as the slogans garishly pasted on the side of the bus proclaimed:

Don’t risk our future.

We’re better off in Europe.

Oui, Ya, Si, Yes, Ta.

Vote Yes 2 Nice.

All these inspiring comments are supported by super-sized cutouts of

a triumphant European Parliament President, plastered from steer to rear. He’s got a head like the back of a bus you could now say with justification of the Munster MEP.

The president is going on tour for the next six weeks to explain the niceness of Nice to the electorate.

After starting with Fianna Fáil backbenchers at the parliamentary party seminar in Killarney yesterday, you could say he’s a man who likes a tough start, and it’s all up hill from here.

In terms of its ability to get the vote out Fianna Fáil had many competitors but few rivals according to Pat.

“There is too much at risk this time around and everyone has to get out and hit the ground running. My message tonight will be to get up and go from Killarney onwards,” he said.

From early morning the ministers, junior ministers, TD, senators and MEPs arrived to hear how they were going to turn the Nice campaign around. But some dissidents were only interested in sounding off for the benefit of their constituents.

Lashing out the hyperbole, the renegade backbenchers lined up in front of the TV cameras to voice the concerns of their voters on the economy. It all proved to be a damp squib however, as the Gospel according to Charlie McCreevy converted those who strayed from the flock back to the faith.

Sent in to appease the baying hounds Mr McCreevy won them over with his latest buzz words - sane and sensible.

The management of the economy was sane and sensible.

The budgetary policies were sane and sensible.

The electorate voted for a sane and sensible government.

The people are going to get a sane and sensible government.

And in case anyone had any ideas about initiating a management takeover Mr McCreevy also reminded them when Bertie Ahern took over the party dropped to its second lowest vote ever and many of the TDs and senators now present would not be there were it not for his leadership.

After that, did any of the dissidents bite inside the meeting after all their barking outside? “No”, Mr McCreevy said categorically.

Party Chairman Seamus Kirk was quick to point out he was keen for anyone with a view to have their say. “It’s expected the workshops will be full-blooded.

“There aren’t going to be any attempts to gag members of the parliamentary party,” he said.

None the less, there were no bloody noses in sight at the bar.