Whether or not this group actually exercised undue influence over their political masters is a moot point.

However, the focus on Fine Gael's handlers when FitzGerald was party leader tends to take from the fact that political and media advisers have long been a feature of Irish politics.

Long before he was exposed for planning corruption, Frank Dunlop was providing communications advice to Fianna Fáil leaders, while PJ Mara was a confidant of Charlie Haughey prior to his appointment as government press secretary in the late 1980s. The system was first formalised in 1992 when Fianna Fáil and Labour entered government. The subsequent Rainbow administration maintained this formal arrangement, which provided ministers with political, media and policy advisers. The programme manager system was intended to offer ministers independent and deliberately political advice beyond that provided by the impartial civil service. However, the system was dismantled by Fianna Fáil and the PDs after 1997, although both parties have employed plenty of advisers but in a less structured arrangement.

A well-established career path has developed for many political advisers when their stint inside the system has concluded.

The departure of Séamus Mulconry as PD director of policy is surprising only in its timing. His destination, Edelman public relations, where he will work as head of public affairs, will surprise nobody. The worlds of public relations (media advice) and public affairs (lobbying) has warmly welcomed many former political advisers. These professions have received a long list of PD staff including former general secretary Michael Parker, and former press officers Ray Gordon, Iarla Mongey and Stephen O'Byrnes.

Among the Fianna Fáil advisers to do well in the public relations world are PJ Mara and Jackie Gallagher who worked with Bertie Ahern. The best-known Labour figure to enter (and subsequently leave) this post-politics career is Fergus Finlay, who worked with Dick Spring through the '80s and '90s.