It’s not just a lust for power that drives Bertie to full term in office

I AM about to collect a few euro from two colleagues who bet with me that Bertie Ahern would call an election this year.

Although there are still seven months to go in 2006, they have both decided to pay out following Bertie’s confirmation to Ryan Tubridy on Saturday night that the election will be in either May or June next year.

The only question remaining is when precisely in the summer of 2007 the election will be held. There has been much speculation that the election will be all over by this time next year. I’m not so sure. I think it’s at least as likely that it will be mid-June 2007 rather than mid-May.