We should crunch the system that provides a spare set of false teeth

DURING the week Bertie Ahern fell down a stairs and broke his leg. But the media was so preoccupied it hardly warranted a mention. The country has been reeling since the budget. Is that what happened to Bertie?

At other times the media would have been consumed with speculation about such an event. There would have been rumours about whether he fell or was pushed. Remember all the speculation after Charlie Haughey fell off a horse. If Bertie were still Taoiseach this week, they would inevitably have been rumours he was mugged by a pensioner or shoved by some senile delinquent.

Fianna Fáil has been in full retreat, apologising for its mistakes since the budget. Enda Kenny could not hide his amusement at the plight of the FFers.