Last Sunday Marian Finucane and her panel were discussing the Sunday Independent "scoop" with the taoiseach. Surely, though, only the most unpromising journalism student could claim that getting a manipulative politician to whinge about his problems in the newspaper that is his very own sock puppet is a "scoop".

Maureen Gaffney was asked to measure the public mood, and she said what so many people seem to be saying these days, particularly in places like the Sunday Indo.

"There is a section of Irish society . . . a minority . . . who are very exercised about the whole thing, who think that to take money as a minister for finance is a breach of ethical principles, " she said. But she thinks the majority do not regard Bertie Ahern as corrupt.

Stephen Rae, editor of the Evening Herald, pointed out that Ahern had gone over the heads of lawyers and appealed directly to the public in what he described as "quite a touching article". This was the article in which the taoiseach wrote that he was "disappointed by cheap shots" that he was using his separation to elicit sympathy, then proceeded to "mention it . . . reluctantly" over the course of several hundred words.

The worst was to come, when Shane Kenny, one-time journalist and government press secretary, suddenly declared that "everybody is sympathetic to Bertie Ahern". What? Do you mind not speaking for me, so I can keep between the ditches?

Another guest on the programme was Fianna Fail TD Cyprian Brady, he of the 938 first-preference votes who now represents us all democratically. In a discussion about drugs, Brady said Europe was "being flooded with heroin directly from Afghanistan". Marian Finucane pointed out that there are two armies in Afghanistan, but Our Cyprian doesn't believe invasion went far enough to bring Afghanistan to heel.

"Europe gives 6bn to Afghanistan every year. I would prefer to see that 6bn being used to shore up the borders of Europe against the influx of heroin."

Sometimes there's nothing for it but to change the channel if you want to get home safe.

Frivolous comedy of the Radio 4 kind can be a sanctuary away from the national folly. Dave Gorman has returned for another series of Genius, in which listeners submit inventions to be adjudicated by a studio guest, who last week was comedian Rob Newman.

The winning concept was a satellite communication system for hitch-hikers, so drivers could find out who's waiting to be picked up, and whether they might have anything interesting to say.

The best idea, though, was from a listener called David Aldridge, who suggested "an expedition to claim the East and West Poles for Great Britain". The poles are on the equator, 90 degrees east and west of the Greenwich meridian, he said. As it happens, both are at sea, "so there would be no struggle over land or anything".

"My only problem with that is they are not poles, " said Dave Gorman. "You have missed a fundamental part of the exploring mindset. Edmund Hillery climbed Everest because it was there, and these are not there."

Rob Newman was all for it though. "Mr Aldridge, do not be intimidated. I am with you, " he said. He suggested a live TV interview with Santa Claus. "I live at the East Pole now, " Santa would say, "because it's closer to China, where the toys are made."