Road safety chief reaches end of line while we keep the boot down

IN the political world as we know it, the act of resignation means different things. Some politicians threaten to resign but don’t actually do it.

The threat is often enough to gain the political leverage they want. For example, Dessie O'Malley's threats to pull out of government forced Charles Haughey to sack Brian Lenihan from the cabinet and eventually Haughey's own departure.

Most resignations involve an admission of failure or disgrace. Some politicians and public officials see the writing on the wall all on their own and they take 'the only honourable course.'