Mary Lou said a bold word in the chamber on Wednesday.
A place, incidentally, where former minister of state Michael Healy-Rae hasn’t set foot since that traumatic day two weeks ago when he resigned from office in the wake of the fuel protests.
And not that long since the Government seemingly bowed to the bleatings of erstwhile supporters Michael and his brother Danny by substantially watering down a plan to only allow short-term lets in towns with populations of fewer than 10,000 people. The limit was doubled to a healthy Kerry town-sized 20,000.
“You shafted renters to keep the Healy-Raes happy, only for them to walk out of government a few weeks later anyway,” Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns told the Taoiseach, who didn’t need to be reminded of this.
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If his Government reverses the decision, it would be an admission that the Healy-Rae boys extracted the concession, freeing up, as Mary Lou McDonald might say, a “diddly-squat” number of properties for people desperate for homes.
The Sinn Féin leader is in full byelection mode now, ramping up the dramatics in her cost-of-living clashes with Micheál Martin, hammering home her mantra that a heartless Government is doing nothing to help people pay excessive fuel and energy bills.
“You have allocated diddly-squat. Sweet feck all,” she declaimed, aiming for maximum effect with her deadpan delivery. The political anoraks were on it immediately. The first time in the entire history of Dáil Éireann that somebody said “sweet feck all”, so it was.
Wonder what she said when she heard criminal Gerry Hutch had registered to run in the Dublin Central byelection.
Maybe just “feck”.
It’s all too full-on and it’ll be that way until the voters of Galway West and Dublin Central put us out of our misery in three weeks’ time.
So what about the leader of Independent Ireland? Is Michael Collins the Dáil’s greatest superfan?
The TD for Cork South-West is certainly a strong contender for the title. His love and admiration for boxer Katie Taylor remains undimmed after years of singing her praises – inside and outside Leinster House. Michael is the reigning champ’s champion. Katie almost always gets a big mention in his speeches on International Women’s Day (IWD).
“One of my favourite heroes is Katie Taylor. She is a true champion boxer. There is no one better in the world at her level. She is a woman who can keep her head, her religion and her beliefs and be the greatest in the world at her sport,” he said in 2022.
The following year, in the heady afterglow of Katie’s win over Chantelle Cameron in their 2023 rematch, Superfan Michael dashed off an online tribute to the “truly remarkable and greatest ever” undisputed world champion.
“My true hero,” he gushed.
Earlier that same year, in a situation very similar to the one currently facing the boxer and her management team as she attempts to land Croke Park for her farewell fight, Katie also had difficulties securing a venue for the first of her two clashes with Cameron.
Croke Park was the preferred choice back then too but it didn’t work out.
In the Dáil, Superfan Collins highlighted the problem facing “probably the most astonishing sportsperson in the country”.
He hoped a big enough stadium would be found. What about the 45,000-seater Páirc Uí Caoimh in Cork? This was his simple solution, he sighed, “but nobody wanted to listen”.
The Man from the Mizen Peninsula was crushed.
“They all want to put the greatest sportsperson we ever had, Katie Taylor, into an 8,000-seater stadium. It’s an astonishing, crazy move, and it needs to be rectified on behalf of the women of this country!”
It’s just not right.
Five years ago, Michael included another combat sports star in his IWDround-up of great women he has met and admired.
“I’ve been lucky to see great sportspeople like Lily de la Cour from Bantry, a kick-boxing champion who has given joy to so many spectators down through the years,” he revealed, before coming to the inevitable.
“This leads me on to the greatest sportsperson Ireland has ever produced, Katie Taylor from Bray. You wouldn’t have enough time to speak about this astonishing sportsperson ... She has to be one of Ireland’s greatest female sportspersons of all time.”
But Superfan Collins was worried this year when IWD came around. He regretfully informed the Dáil that “legend” Katie, at the age of 39, had confirmed that her final professional fight would take place later in the year in Dublin.
After 20 years at the top she wanted to finish in the city where her dream started.
“Croke Park is still her dream venue and it should be the venue.”
The Schull-based TD was sure the fight “will not be just be a sporting event, but a national celebration”. It had to happen.
Discussions are taking place this week between the Taylor camp and Croke Park officials. Katie said on Tuesday that things were very looking “very, very, positive”.
It is hoped the fight might happen in September.
But the clock is ticking. Katie has said “it’s Croke Park or nothing” and she could hang up her gloves for good if a Jones’ Road date is not forthcoming.
And so to the Dáil chamber early on Wednesday afternoon, where Taoiseach Micheál Martin is taking Questions on Policy and Legislation.
“Many years ago a young girl from Oldcourt in Bray had a dream ... ”
Guess who’s talking.
“At a time when women were not even allowed to box, Katie Taylor dreamed of winning an Olympic gold medal for Ireland,” began Michael Collins, launching into a potted history of Katie’s glittering career.
“Now, as an extraordinary career draws to a close, Katie has one final dream – to fight one last time in Croke Park,” he quivered.
“I’m asking you, Taoiseach, will you and the Minister for Sport do everything possible to make this happen as a mark of appreciation for her dedication, her achievements and everything she has given to this country and to women’s sport? It is what the people of Ireland want to see, and it is what Katie Taylor deserves.”
It was very moving.
The Taoiseach thinks Katie is wonderful. “I certainly hope her dream of boxing in Croke Park can come to a reality.”
If a proposal seeking public money for this major sporting event comes in, it will be considered by a special division within the Department of Sport which deals with these matters.
Superfan Collins can do no more.
Now he faces an anxious wait to find out whether or not he will get to cheer his “true hero” in her final fight.
