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Gene Kerrigan Opinion The Kerry babies case is an Irish tragedy that the State turned into a knockabout farce

On October 14, 1984 this newspaper broke the story of the collapse of the case against Joanne Hayes, the woman at the centre of Kerry Babies scandal. It was reported by Joe Joyce and Don Buckley.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Half-a-million euro is just loose change in bankers’ very deep pockets

What a coincidence. Last weekend, we read the details of the plan to give senior Irish bankers buckets of money in salary increases and bonuses. And that’s on top of their already over-generous salaries.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Eviction once again. People are suffering, Mr Varadkar. It is not all about you.

Have the members of this Government ever truly known fear? Last week they unleashed their pro-eviction plans.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Far-right eejits don’t even recognise anthem of the nation they claim to value

There was a time when the Irish far right could only fantasise about having even the slightest impact on any issue. Over the years, one squeaky little chap posted videos of himself in which he appeared to be doing a very poor Adolf Hitler imitation.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Fine Gael old guard are fast asleep at the wheel

Have you heard about the political party that said yes when it meant no? Or it might have been that it said no when it meant yes. One way or another, they were wasting their time.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Welcome back, Bertie – now, about that money...

Fianna Fáil’s new dodge is to use Bertie Ahern to rebrand the party. In an effort to exploit the impending 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement, Mr Ahern has been invited back into the party after a decade in the wilderness.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Ireland is full? Yeah, full of eejits

The man driving the VW Passat has the passenger window rolled down, and when he’s level with the young man he slows and calls out: “You speak English?”

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Bigotry towards Travellers is the blueprint for ‘new’ Irish racism

It was around this time of year, eight years ago, when our national mood got a jolt of optimism. The polls for the marriage equality referendum had been pretty solid for two or three years. And now, with just four months to go until the vote, the polls were consistently predicting a Yes victory of as much as 77pc.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Come on Paschal Donohoe – be a poster boy for truth

It’s quite possible — on the currently available evidence — that Paschal Donohoe didn’t break any rule, law, guideline or regulation. In the Paschal’s Posters controversy, it may even be that Mr Donohoe is entirely innocent of wrongdoing. On the other hand, this is Irish politics, in which we have a history of politicians filling their boots with rich men’s spare change. So, we need more than “Ah, no, Paschal wouldn’t do that, he’s not that kind of guy”.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Our broken hospital system is part of what it means to be Irish

It’s more than 20 years since SIM263 was secretly allowed to lapse. And what, you may ask, was SIM263? It was one of the reasons our public hospitals became — and remain to this day — a scandalous shambles.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Hail to the not-so-new Taoiseach, same as the last taoiseach

Well, here we go. Flying into the Brand New Year, with a Brand New Taoiseach. It’s a time of celebration, it’s a time of hope…

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion A man misjudged by most: Why I was wrong about Albert Reynolds

Fianna Fáil’s election headquarters in Longford had run short of coffee, tea and biscuits. Businessman Noel Hanlon, one of Albert Reynolds’s buddies, put his hand in his trouser pocket and took out some money.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Suspended TDs must keep their constituency flags flying

Last Wednesday, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl suspended TD Marc MacSharry from the Dáil, on grounds of “grossly disorderly conduct”.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion I’m the Taoiseach, don’t go telling me, me, me what to do

Leo Varadkar’s political failure — principally in health and in housing — is self-evident. In the past few days, he added an unforeseen scalp to his collection of victories: he drained the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) of credibility.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Sheriff Varadkar is giving guns for Christmas

Where do we start? With the guns, perhaps? Or maybe with Santa and his elves and the dangers that hover over them? Or should we kick off with the totally expected news about the Cabinet deciding to reward the money-grabbing avarice of top bankers?

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Hoodwinked by another nod to Old Pals’ Act (1923)

In a speech at the recent Fine Gael ard fheis, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar praised Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s “decency”. And sure, who’d take issue with that? These gentlemen have presided over significant damage done to many of the people of this country, but that’s a political failing, not a personal flaw.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Nice work: Dáil heroes on Putin’s naughty list at last

You may have noticed that last week the Russian government banned no fewer than 52 Irish politicians for saying nice things about Ukraine, thereby “fuelling Russophobic hysteria”.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Leo Varadkar is ‘cleared’ — in his own head

Just over a month from now, the FF/FG party is scheduled to appoint Leo Varadkar to the position of taoiseach, for the second time. And Mr Varadkar seems thrilled by the prospect. In fact, there are six-year-olds out there who are less excited about the prospect of Santa Claus coming down the chimney than Mr Varadkar seems to be about returning to the Big Chair.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Fr Seán Sheehy is the voice of Ireland’s dead and unmourned past

At first, it seemed a bit mad. A bishop and a priest squaring up for a bout of ecclesiastical fisticuffs. A turbulent priest in Listowel, Co Kerry, took to the altar and spouted out of him about gays, contraception, abortion and transgender matters. He left us in no doubt that he alone has the courage to denounce this sinful carry-on.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Getting high on slagging addicts

It was a lovely moment — amusing and sad. It involved a drug user and arose in the lengthy and over-dramatic RTÉ Prime Time report on the decline of Dublin’s O’Connell Street. It was no big deal, but it was a decent, human moment in what might have been wholly depressing and negative.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Don’t tell the voters what to think

So, Micheál Martin misled the Dáil. There was a time when a politician misleading the Dáil would have been taken seriously. It’s not something that can be shrugged off. It’s not just about the credibility of a TD or a party — it’s about the credibility of parliament.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Abuse victims are expected to justify the wages of sin

It used to be there was you and me. And you said one thing and I said another. And an observer could work out who might be the good guy. These days, well, it’s a bit more complicated.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion When sharing the air with Travellers is a breath too far

As the week began, I was under the mistaken impression we had identified the least impressive individual in Irish political life: Fine Gael Councillor Maurice Dockrell.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Parachutes at the ready for royal popularity plunge

There’s something the Taoiseach should know about the new King across the water, Charles. This information just might save the Taoiseach’s life over the next year or two — whether that Taoiseach be Mr Martin, Mr Varadkar or Ms McDonald. But, first, Operation London Bridge.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Bigotry against Traveller minority can only be ended by efforts of settled community – politicians don’t have the courage

The online creeps were at it again last week — they never miss an opportunity to express their hatred for Travellers. And the Tallaght tragedy provided that.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion A 47pc pay rise for the man who puts up energy prices

Looks like we’re heading into a tough winter — and I’m not referring to the weather. The cold, the rain and the snow we can deal with, but runaway price rises, inflation and the greed of those who already have more than enough are going to do the damage.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Robert Troy is a mere minnow among the sharks

The media labelled Robert Troy’s activities a “property scandal”. In truth, the TD is small fry. I can’t see how Mr Troy benefited from what he did or didn’t do. However, recent events revealed two things about Mr Troy.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion The cynical rewriting of Blueshirt history

So, Fine Gael organised a barbecue in memory of Michael Collins, to mark the hundredth anniversary of his killing. And a lunch. And 19 showings of the Neil Jordan movie about Michael Collins. And — for a fiver — they’ll sell you a commemorative pin of Michael Collins to wear on your lapel.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion A Bertie Ahern comfort blanket cannot cover sins of the past

For a while now, the Bring Back Bertie Brigade (BBBB) has been on manoeuvres. Bring back Bertie Ahern, the argument goes, give him a meaningful official role in helping sort out the mess in the North. Well, sure, OK — we could do that, see how it works out.

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Gene Kerrigan Opinion It’s silly season — Sabina letter was the perfect scoop

Are we all done, now? Anyone else care to vent about the President’s missus and the invasion of Ukraine? I suspect some of our Ukrainian guests are a little puzzled about what happened last week when Irish politicians got terribly angry about the strategic consequences of a letter written by the President’s wife.