THE Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Richard Bruton seemed happy enough with his photograph when he opened the new Earl of Kildare Hotel, opposite the Dail, formerly Powers of Kit dare Street, last Wednesday. Cashing in on the location across the street, and the name (the Earl built and resided in Leinster House), the new owners have covered the walls with pics of politicians and hope they can woo our legislators away from their old haunts.
Although the hots have started, a few members of both houses turned up and all took great interest in the photo display. FG Senator Louis Belton was heard to express disappointment that the upper house seemed under-represented on the wall. Others were offering the proprietors alternative, more flattering images.
In the midst of it all, an actor portraying the great Earl was going around muttering that his home "had been taken over by a bunch of squatters".