I spoke again with my contact in the Passports Office regarding the Tammany Hall passport scheme operated by politicians for the benefit of favoured constituents.
The review has been going on now since last February and should have been published earlier this month. Alas, something always seems to crop up just when publication is near.
On this occasion the Dept. Secretary General is out of the country and the other seven committee members are powerless to act until he returns tomorrow. If the committee, in their wisdom, decide that the review is ready they will sign off on the document and forward it to the Minister for Foreign Affairs for his consideration.
We will then be into the next phase of the farce – Trying to get an answer from the Minister.
I miss your commentary on the Mahon Tribunal. Come on, give us your musings on Owen O’Callaghan. 1991 was a terrible year for poor old Owen. Half the councillors he paid off lost their seats. Imagine perfectly good corrupt politicians without a seat on the council. That must have been terrible.