There was a discussion on inheritance tax at the finance committee on Thursday.
Richard Boyd Barrett of the People Before Profit Alliance, who represents Dún Laoghaire, joked this was an issue of great importance in the borough. Whereupon chairman Ciarán Lynch of Labour suggested: “Maybe you should consider changing your name to People Before Probate.”
Meanwhile, Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil backbencher for Longford-Westmeath, wins the daft parliamentary question of the week award.
On Monday he asked the Minister for Education if he had “explored the possibility of introducing a bonus point system for the Leaving Certificate for persons who exercise in order to incentives [sic] people to keep fit”. What next? Extra points for getting out of bed in the morning? The Minister issued a lengthy reply on “the importance of physical wellbeing” but, no, he won’t be dishing out any extra points.
Chancer of the week has to be Mattie McGrath, who selflessly stepped up the plate on Wednesday for Leaders’ Questions, even though it was the turn of his Technical Group colleague John Halligan to speak.
It was Irish language day in the Dáil and Halligan told his colleagues it might be better if someone more proficient in the First Official Language took over. In a flash, Mattie offered his services.
As it turned out, he is as bad as Halligan in the Gaeilge department. But no matter. The Wednesday morning session is the coveted live television slot of the week.
