Bertiegate and the silence of the opposition

Last October, Michael McDowell assured the country that he had seen the relevant documentation and was satisfied as to Bertie Ahern’s personal finance bona fides.

This assurance from our Minister for Justice shot the horse out from under the opposition and probably contributed to the rise in support for FF in the polls and the corresponding demise in the fortunes of the opposition in those same polls.

Who would blame Messrs Kenny & Rabbitte from treading very carefully this time - they have no idea when McDowell will suddenly make another declaration of faith in Bertie, based on files and documents which only the great man himself has seen. “I know what I know” is a very hard claim to rebut in any forensic way and McDowell and his PDs have done so many about-turns that you never know what’s coming next.

The opposition are far wiser to let the media and, for the moment, the PDs, do the running on Bertiegate. McDowell and Ahern are currently on the BBQ, why would anyone need to join them there?

Footnote: Aired by Pat Kenny on his Today programme on RTE.