FF backbenches wait for Bertie’s auction bid

THE price of democracy may be eternal vigilance, but the price of an Irish election would appear to be about €43 billion and rising.

That’s the amount of tax cuts, pension boosts and childcare packages currently on offer from Fine Gael, Labour, the Greens and the PD’s over the lifetime of the next Dáil — and the total is set to rise dramatically when the kings of feel good politics, Fianna Fáil, finally show their full hand.

The timer on Election Bay would show just 63 days to go until the expected May 18 polling deadline, when all political bids for votes have to be in.