Politics

Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, gives his account of the meeting with Bertie Ahern

The veniality of Martin Cullen is evident from the outset of the report by the former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, Dermot Quigley, on the Monica Leech controversy. It states "from the start of his tenure (as a junior Minister in the Office of Public Works) he wanted the work of OPW around the country to be more widely publicised... This need became more urgent in the context of major (OPW) projects in Waterford" (Cullen's constituency).

It's the story that won't go away. Last month the Taoiseach conceded as much when he agreed to set up an independent inquiry into the controversy the newspapers now call: "Monicagate".

Neither the Revenue Commissioners nor the Department of Finance keep track of the exact location of items donated under the Heritage Tax donations scheme.

Now the New Year reviving old desires

The pledge of rich countries to donate $4 billion in disaster relief to the Asian countries affected by the tsunami disaster may transpire to be illusory if the experience of previous pledges to disaster areas is repeated. A year ago, countries promised $32.6 million in disaster relief to the victims of the earthquake in Bam, Iran, but only $17.1 million materialized.

Labour's Brendan Howlin failed in two leadership bids and is opposed to a pre-election pact with Fine Gael. But he's lost none of his enthusiasm for politics or for his party, he tells Katie Hannon

Poor Martin Cullen! If a week is the proverbial long time in politics he must be blinking in bewilderment at the rapidity of his fall. Widely tipped for demotion in the Government reshuffle in September (not least by myself) he was actually promoted to Minister for Transport. But he now finds himself on the edge of political destruction.

Vitali Vitaliev found Thursday's presidential inauguration of Mary McAleese a mixture of a church liturgy, a chamber music concert and a country wedding.

Brace yourself for a media "Bertie-blitz" this weekend and next week as Fianna Fáil cranks up the PR machine to mark the Taoiseach's 10th anniversary as leader of Fianna Fáil on Friday.