Revolution in the air

The dreaded ‘R’ word has entered the public arena. Revolution was being openly discussed on Morning Ireland and Today with Pat Kenny this morning and it seems poor auld Bertie was its first victim.

He was prevented from participating in a public discussion in NUI Galway last night after being jostled by students protesting over the planned reintroduction of college fees.

Bertie, who, I assume, would claim had nothing to do with the present crisis, just wanted to talk about his life and times and accept a gong from the college’s Literary and Debating Society in appreciation of his tireless and patriotic efforts for his country.

I just hope NUI Galway coughed up Bertie’s attendance fee; after all, he’s struggling to cope on his €100,000 TDs salary, €164,000 pension, up to €100,000 in mostly unvouched expenses, and a raft of other ‘perks’ for those who have served their country so well.

People like the corrupt Ray Burke on a pension of €100,000, the disgraced Padraig Flynn on almost €100,000 and the (I’m too sick to give evidence) former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on €103,000.

Mmm…maybe I shouldn’t be describing the word revolution as ‘dreaded.’