Age-old question for Labour-saving Joan

In the 1980s when Labour was having another of its bruising internal upheavals, then leader Frank Cluskey noticed Michael D Higgins was absent. On hearing the TD had gone on an emergency mission to Nicaragua, Cluskey is reported to have said Higgins was taking the easy option of "saving the world over saving the Labour party".

In a similar manner, deputy Labour leader Joan Burton brushed aside questions yesterday about her age, referring to former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

“I’m aware that somebody slightly older than me, Hillary Clinton, is talking about running for the presidency of the United States. I know that being president of the United States is probably a bit easier than being the leader of the Labour party.”