Our new leaders:Wow. I'm almost dumbstruck. Almost. A culling in Kildare Street. Imagine. That said, Martini - he's been stirred, but remains unshaken - Cullen didn't look too miffed as De Leader axed him from transport. Maybe, after the flak he took in the election campaign, his giant ego deflated just enough for him to realise it was beyond his talents. Bye now, Mr Cullen. Turn off the lights before you go, there's a good lad.
As if that weren't enough, the Rocky Ditch of environment is history too. So now we have Mr Dempsey in transport. Only time will tell if he can manage to generate the same insurmountable unpopularity as his predecessor. It'll be some performance if he achieves it. You'd have to take your hat off to him. We'll see. For now, let's just give him enough rope and see what he does with it.
As to their Green coalition partners, I've great hopes. How smiley and happy they all looked last week, their principles neatly swept under the Opposition benches. Maybe they're hoping they'll still be there when they get back. Some, like Ciarán Cuffe, turned in masterful performances, barely flinching as he swallowed his words and did what he himself - saving the rest of us the bother - called a "deal with the devil".
As they celebrated their accession to power, the Greens had to deal with the booby-trap Rocky left in his office for Gormley when he signed the order giving the go-ahead for the M3 in a final two-fingers salute to his replacement. Poor Gormley. Stitched up before he even started. Or was he? Did Rocky sign the order to save Gormley - whose party had made the re-routing of the road a key demand for entering government - the embarrassment of having to do it himself? They then quickly learned that the Taoiseach, who so graciously gave them two plum ministries, may not have been so generous after all. He giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other. While granting Gormley the environment portfolio, he divested the department of responsibility for roads.
On the face of it, another shafting. But was it? Was this another part of the deal? Was Gormley being spared the embarrassment of having to sign off even more potentially controversial road projects? It was hardly necessary. In the election run-up, the Greens started by promising to cut road building if elected to Government. Quickly realising the impact this would have on the economy, they softened their cough to say they'd honour all existing contracts but review those in the pipeline. Now all pretence has been dropped and they've been cajoled into adopting Transport 21 with so much gusto you'd imagine they thought of it themselves. How convenient.
Maybe I haven't given the Greens enough credit. Perhaps they aren't so green after all, if you get my drift. As I said, I have high hopes for them. Gormley and Ryan are both accomplished chaps, albeit somewhat inexperienced in the type of backroom skulduggery Fianna Fáil has elevated to a high art. They'd be well advised to watch their backs, lest they get sucked in and spat out to suffer the same fate as Fianna Fáil's last victims, sorry, partners, come the 2012 poll, assuming they don't run away in the meantime.
If I were them, I'd keep my bicycle helmet firmly strapped on while at the Cabinet table. Just to be on the safe side.
