No deal. Where did we hear that before?

IN recent days the Taoiseach has been at pains to reiterate that he will not go into coalition with Sinn Féin after the next election, no matter what way the electoral math works out.

He has gone so far as to say he would prefer to lead his party into opposition rather than accept Sinn Féin as a junior partner in government.

Unusually for Mr Ahern, there was no equivocation.