Kathy Sheridan of the Irish Times was a dose of reality when the opposition floundered all around her on Q&A tonight trying to make Bertiegate go away. Talbot Street (Independent Group) which is FF HQ’s extension annex is working to make it go away. But Kathy was not letting it go away and tired as I am of it, she gave us such a wake up call in a way that Vincent Browne couldn’t national treasure and all that he is!

It’s about trust Bertie – and who thinks about renting a house before it’s bought by a landlord, expresses interest in buying it before renting it before it’s bought the first time, rents it, does it up with landlords money, their own money and then buys it? All this with no bank accounts, bank accounts in girlfriends name, money in and out of safes, stamp duty, curtains and interior designers.

So was he hiding his money from his ex wife, or in cahoots with her to let on he had no money in exchange for the house. I’m tired of being told about delicate matters in family courts and protecting the family etc. – at this stage that is far too convenient a cop out. His private finances are public issues especially when there are whip rounds, planning issues and fundamental matters of trust. It’s not all over yet. And the silence of the women involved is deafening.