Our cupboard is bare so Bertie climbs into it

The day after the government announced that the Irish taxpayer is facing a bill of up to €50bn for the bank bailout, the public might have wondered where the man who led the country through the bubble years was hiding out?

Answer: in a cupboard. Yes, since Friday, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern can be found hiding in a cupboard.

The former leader of this country, who now puts his name to a soccer column, appears in a TV advert for the News of the World crouched inside a cupboard saying: "Never thought I'd end up here but I have the latest on today's big match."

Glamorous Liz reveals the ugly side of Irish politics

In light of the recent announcements by Fine Gael's Olwyn Enright and Labour's Liz McManus and Mary Upton that they will not be contesting the next general election, former minister of state Liz O'Donnell penned a candid piece about women in politics for Irish Tatler magazine.

Speaking about the ugly side of politics O'Donnell also revealed: "When as a TD, I spoke out against the hierarchy for covering up sexual abuse of children by priests, and the undue deference shown by the state to the church authorities, I received excrement in the post and hate-mail that would stop a clock."

FF elects not to select in early election denial

Fianna Fáil's cabinet ministers keep emphasising there will not be a general election until 2012. Even though the Dáil arithmetic is so tight and the coalition is far from secure, the party line is that FF is not in the votes game until 2012. While Labour, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are on an election footing and continue to hold selection conventions, there are rumblings among FF grassroots. FF HQ cannot begin to select candidates as this will signal it is anticipating going to the country. There are now concerns among FF grassroots that they are unprepared for a snap election. Another concern is that if the independent TDs – especially Sligo's Jimmy Devins and Eamon Scanlon – are not brought back into the fold soon, FF could be left in a tricky bind of having to select two new candidates in Sligo.

The line-up for the Institute of Public Administration conference at the Aviva Stadium was impressive as it included President Mary McAleese, former Taoiseach John Bruton, and a host of other luminaries. Titled 'Building Confidence and Trust in Public Administration', it cost €345 a head. Did the IRFU not get into hot water recently over the cost of tickets for a four-match November internationals package. The price of those tickets started at €340.