As good as it gets: Political leaders, despite what they say, always fear the large majority.
It makes backbenchers not just careless but rebellious too. Although Bertie Ahern didn't get a majority last month - let alone a big one - he and his coalition partner Mary Harney won 89 seats compared with the combined Opposition of 77 and that, in Irish terms, is as good as it gets these days. As a result, the disaffection in Fianna Fáil over the ministerial appointments, senior and junior, is growing.
Conor Lenihan went public this week. Others are failing to show up for votes, secure in the knowledge that, as the Government won't fall, they can indulge their grievances. When anger was expressed at the parliamentary party meeting 10 days ago, the Taoiseach was in Europe; when it was known he would appear this Wednesday, as new party chairman Seamus Kirk took over, many simply didn't turn up. The anger would be more vocal were it not for the fact that some plum positions still have to be filled (such as committee chairs, which pay about €15,000, and places). The Public Accounts Committee is the greatest prize, but this goes to the Opposition and FG has nominated Sligo/Leitrim's John Perry, a hotelier and businessman in Ballymote. Except for the committees on Procedure and Privileges (which runs the house) and European Affairs, important in the run-up to Nice, most won't be filled until after the Seanad elections, so disaffected deputies are holding their whist. Some committees, such as the PAC (for the profile) and Foreign Affairs (for the travel) are dearly sought.
So why this anger? Because, backbenchers tell Quidnunc, there seems to be no logic or understanding to Ahern's promotions and expectations raised were dashed. What, one asked, does a deputy need to do to get preferment? Loyalty, discipline, hard work, youth, brains, enthusiasm, bringing in the second seat, location, complying with headquarters? What is it? Recent appointments give no clue. Some point with wonder to Éamon Ó Cúiv, who got into Cabinet despite admitting that, although he canvassed for Nice, he voted against it.
Others speak of controversies where a European seat is going to a little-known county councillor in Galway, Seán Ó Neachtain; three ministers were apparently not good enough for Cabinet but good enough for junior posts; the long delay between the Cabinet and junior announcements which allowed intensive lobbying; and the absence of notification for those sacked.
Some loyal and able backbenchers believe that, with a five-year term in prospect, their time will never come. They have, they say, heard talk of a mid-term reshuffle before. They don't believe it.
All change: The election saw a huge turnover of deputies, but there will be at least as big a changeover in the Seanad - and a more predictable one. On Wednesday, the current Seanad met for the last time and there were outpourings of emotion. The Cathaoirleach, leas Cathaoirleach, leader of Fianna Fáil and leader of Fine Gael, Brian Mullooly, Liam Cosgrave, Donie Cassidy and Maurice Manning respectively are all departing. Mullooly is retiring, Cosgrave failed in Dún Laoghaire and is not running for the Seanad, Cassidy was elected to the Dáil for Westmeath and Manning was sidelined by his party.
Also leaving are Des Hanafin (after 33 years), Mick Lanigan, Jarlath McDonagh, Joe Doyle, Willie Farrell and Ann Leonard. Others have moved to the Dáil and yet more will fail to be re-elected. Among those who can expect to return is John Dardis, who will be joined by three other PDs and six Fianna Fáilers (including Mary O'Rourke among the Taoiseach's 11). After that, it's up to the electorate of new deputies, outgoing Senators, county and city councillors and, for six seats, NUI and Trinity graduates.
What happened to Manning, a leading party figure and insider for 21 years, has been much discussed. After the general election, he said he wasn't going to run for the Seanad but changed his mind when persuaded that a new leader needed someone of his experience and standing.
He sought a party nomination but failed. It is known that Manning at one stage threatened to challenge Padraic McCormack for the party chairmanship and it is said McCormack, as the only Oireachtas member on the nominating committee which stuck to the criteria of Dáil seats material, failed to promote Manning's candidature. Now Manning will be concentrating on his job as lecturer in politics at UCD, his book with UCC's David Gwynn Morgan on Irish parliaments and his second novel.
President on tour: The President, Mrs McAleese undertakes a State visit to Greece on Monday week. She pays similar visits to the Far East, including Malaysia, at the end of September, and Portugal at the beginning of November.
Mrs McAleese will depart from London as she is presenting the prizes at the Henley Royal Regatta on Sunday. Her interest stems from her children's involvement in rowing. She will arrive on the Government jet to a very hot Athens at 5 p.m. local time on Monday and, following a ceremonial welcome by President Constantino Stephanopoulos at the Presidential Palace, she attends a state dinner. Tuesday starts with an early morning tour of the Acropolis, after which she will receive courtesy calls from party leaders at her hotel. Then there's a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and she will be presented with the Gold Medal of Merit of the Hellenic Parliament. She has discussions and lunch with President Costas Simitis at Maximos Mansion and in the evening will meet the Mayor of Athens, Dimitris Avranopoulos, at City Hall and afterwards address the Hellenic Centre for European Studies at the Benaki Museum. Later still, Mrs McAleese will host a reception for President Stephanopoulos, at which Altan will perform.
On Wednesday, the party travels to the coast, an hour outside Athens, to Cape Scunion, to view the Temple of Poseidon before leaving for home at 3.30 p.m. local time. President and Dr McAleese will be accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen and his wife, Mary Cowen.
How to win: Probably the most successful director of elections in recent times, one P.J. Mara, addressed the Association of European Journalists in Dublin last week. Despite starting with the remark that once he had finished a task he tended to forget everything that went into it, he gave a riveting account of how the last two general elections were won.
In a lengthy off-the-cuff and off-the-record talk he spoke of polls and focus groups, of votes-to-seats ratios, where Fianna Fáil did so much better than Fine Gael, of issues (less important than generally believed, except in particular constituencies), media influence and most of all of how necessary it is to address changes in Irish society. He dealt with constituency vote management, a vital and troublesome area as many candidates refuse to comply and give up canvassing areas, and how - if you run the right number of candidates and have them properly positioned at the end - your plan cannot fail.
Politicians, and he named them, who adopted issues which were tangential to what people were concerned about, were going nowhere. Maybe other parties misread the research or failed to use language people were comfortable with, but the concern this time was the management of the economy and who was going to run it. Bringing people to the promised land would never work, he said. "In the fashion business, which I know, they draw inspiration from the street. Not an elegant comparison but a reality."
Someone said to him during the last campaign that the most influential radio station in the world was one that didn't exist. It's called WIFM. "What's that?" asked Mara. It's: "What's Init For Me?"
Queen's hurdles: The British ambassador Sir Ivor Roberts and Lady Roberts hosted their last birthday party for the queen in a downpour at the embassy residence, Glencairn, a few weeks ago. Sir Ivor will be leaving early next year and unless things move fast, it is unlikely he will be here to greet Queen Elizabeth II on the long proposed state visit. Both sides are keen for such an event, but it's a question of getting the timing right and it's the governments which will decide. The original hurdle was the Belfast Agreement, then the Irish general election and now it's the build-up to the Northern Assembly elections in 11 months' time. Whichever way the protocol works, the invite is due from us, the Irish. The matter has been discussed informally by the two leaders, Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair.
Quidnunc hears Sir Ivor's replacement will be Stewart Eldon, who is currently based in New York. By the time he arrives next spring, the work should at last be completed on the new residence, Marley Grange, Rathfarnham.
Blood on the carpet: Talk about out of the frying pan into the fire. Miranda O'Donovan left the Fine Gael press office in Leinster House last week and started as press officer with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service on Monday. Before she arrived, her boss had been suspended and on her first day in the office, she had to cope with the fallout from his reinstatement, as chief executive officer Martin Hynes won his High Court case against suspension by the board. There was also the ongoing row involving Hynes, the Board and Dr Joan Power. At her Fine Gael leaving party, Richard Bruton remarked that she could not have had better preparation for her new job. Others murmured it was as well she was used to blood - on the carpet at FG headquarters. Indeed, in recent years, O'Donovan had problems knowing exactly who her boss was. And her new job isn't confined to the current rows. There are ongoing legal actions by hepatitis C and other patients and the dreadful public image the board attracted in recent years, not helped by the recent TV drama about Positive Action. And you thought Fine Gael had problems.