AND they're off! As the punters head to the polls, Paddy Power bookmakers is giving odds on who will be the next Minister for Finance. Kildare man Charlie McCreevey - a man well used to calculating the odds himself- is the clear favourite at 4/7.

Next in line is the Rainbow's sitting tenant in Merrion Street, Ruairi Quinn, at 2/1. After that the Margin wonders what Mary O'Rourke makes of her odds of 8/1. And then comes Corkman Hugh Coveney at 14/1, the same odds as Richard Bruton, who has made a name for himself as minister for jobs announcements.