Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The enormous degree of forgiveness afforded to Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats by the Irish public to date is incredible. Since the dodgy dealings and political corruption came to light, Fianna Fáil has in one form or another been elected in 1992, 1997 and 2002. Along with that, the Flood and Mahon tribunals have effectively served as a railway siding where serious questions of corruption are left unanswered while the dodgy runaway train rumbles on.

It seems that one of the perks of being a Fianna Fáil backbencher is the right to carry what amounts to a blank cheque, endorsed with the authority of the party leader and Taoiseach, entitling the bearer to behave in the most unconscionable manner regarding the laws and institutions of this modern European democracy.

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