`If I were Bertie Ahern I would be somewhat concerned that one of my newest and youngest deputies is trawling through the job adverts in The Irish Times," said a senior Fine Gaeler. He was referring to the minor row last weekend over the FG advert for three new staff members which had the banner headline: Help Bring Down the Government.
FF Laois-Offaly deputy, Sean Fleming, immediately put out a statement. "Is the Fine Gael party unable to find one positive thing to say about itself? Does the party not have even one characteristic that it can be proud of which could be used to promote itself? Obviously not, if they have to resort to such negative advertising." It added to public cynicism of politics, he said, and put off young people.
FG's Denis Naughten leapt to the defence. The attack, he said, was churlish and childish. It was FF antics in Government that would drive young people from Government.
Deputy Fleming called on FG to withdraw the advert. But FG did it to provoke, and then loved the publicity it generated so much that it ran the advert in the The Irish Times again yesterday.