12 random items that convulsed Irish politics this past year

Septic tanks, dry-cleaning receipts and Michael D’s knees – just some of the strange things we never thought we’d obsess about in a political context… but we do now.

By Susan Daly Friday 9 Mar 2012, 8:30 PM

Mar 9th 2012, 8:30 PM 5,809 Views 2 Comments

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Why were people suddenly asking questions about a political figure's knee?

Image: David Jones/PA Wire

Why were people suddenly asking questions about a political figure's knee?

Image: David Jones/PA Wire

IF A WEEK is a long time in politics, try a year.

Today marks a year to the day since Fine Gael and Labour took their seats in the 31st Dáil. We’ve marked the occasion here at TheJournal.ie with a detailed report card on how the Government performed in 20 policy areas. We’ve also:

charted the peaks and troughs of public opinion on the various political parties over the year in a series of graphs
with the help of O’Leary Analytics, looked at what political figures dominated media coverage in the year
brought you the Taoiseach’s One Year In Office video message
reminded you of the issues that trended on social media in the political year
asked you to grade the Government from A to N.G. on their performance

In the course of our analysis, we realised that this past year in politics has thrown up some strange anomalies. Here are 12 things we didn’t think about much 12 months ago… but we do now:

12 random items that convulsed Irish politics this past year

Previous 1 / 12Next

Septic tanks
Tom Wallace from Connemara with his artist's impression of a septic tank at a protest in January 2012 on the proposed inspection fee - some argued it was an attack on rural householders. (Pic: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)
Dirty laundry... literally
It emerged in November - just before the austerity of Budget 2012 - that Government ministers can claim €3,500 off their tax bill to cover the cost of laundry, presuming they live away from home during the week. (Pic: puamelia/Flickr)
Oireachtas telephones...
...or rather, what they are used for. They came into the spotlight when it emerged that over 3,500 calls (€2,639 worth) were made from a telephone in the Oireachtas in 2007 to vote for independent TD Michael Healy Rae when he was in a reality television competition. He won the contest. (Pic: plenty.r/Flickr)
President Higgins's left knee
During a presidential campaign riven with mud-slinging, the only real question hanging over the eventual winner Michael D Higgins were enquiries as to his age and health. A broken kneecap which required surgery after the election had given him some difficulty but otherwise, the President has been in fine fettle since. (Pic: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland).
A copy of the Irish Constitution
Dana Rosemary Scallon was rarely without one in the presidential debates last autumn, vowing to uphold its contents. (Niall Carson/PA Wire)
The Secretary General of the Department of Finance
Okay, so not an 'item' per se, but did we worry much about who this person was (Kevin Cardiff) before the €3.6bn accounting blunder in the Irish national debt books was discovered last November? We do now. (Pic: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)
Printer ink cartridges
It emerged late last month that Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh had gone through over €50,000 worth of print cartridges in just two years at the Dáil. Some wags suggested he was bringing down the toner in Leinster House. (Pic: Tosiyuki IMAI/Flickr)
Bins, bin bags, bin tags
The transfer of waste services from Dublin councils to private company Greyhound caused confusion and consternation over a €100 service fee. The situation has been called "shambolic" by city TDs. (Pic: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
The price of a photo opp
The Government spent over €100,000 on official photography in its first year in office. The Department of the Taoiseach spent most (€30,629) and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform spent nothing on snaps. (Pic: cogdogblog/Flickr)
Dress code
We never thought much about what politicians wore until the 31st Dáíl where some Oireachtas officials took issue with the 'casual' dress code of some TDs; where Mary Mitchell O'Connor was the subject of ungallant commentary from Mick Wallace; and where Ming Flanagan wore a suit made of hemp (not this one). (Pic Julien Behal/PA Wire)
Official/unofficial Twitter accounts
This is the tweet from the OFFICIAL Martin McGuinness presidential campaign account, denying links to an earlier tweet about Seán Gallagher and a Fianna Fáil fundraiser from an account called @McGuinness4Pres which was read out on an RTÉ Frontline #aras11 candidates' debate. And we're still talking about it.
Promissory notes
This time last year we were talking bailouts, bondholders and the euro - we're still talking about those but now 'promissory notes' and the political potential to trade a cut to the cost of Anglo Irish ones is a national obsession. (Pic: Images_of_money/TaxBrackets.org/Flickr)

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Susan Daly

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12 random items that convulsed Irish politics this past year

Septic tanks, dry-cleaning receipts and Michael D’s knees – just some of the strange things we never thought we’d obsess about in a political context… but we do now.

Septic tanks

Dirty laundry... literally

Oireachtas telephones...

President Higgins's left knee

A copy of the Irish Constitution

The Secretary General of the Department of Finance

Printer ink cartridges

Bins, bin bags, bin tags

The price of a photo opp

Dress code

Official/unofficial Twitter accounts