@mollie: The difference in this case was that he exploited his ministerial office for financial gain. Whether he, as he put it, did the talk in a “personal capacity” or not, he’s not supposed to. For your average TD, it’s different. I’m not sure about the situation for junior ministers.

I read a newsletter nice and glossy from Noel Ahern in the last few days as his constituency is going to take a nib out of north-central in the next election.
He announced that he had officially opened Homebase their new store in Santry as they had moved from another address in Santry the Omni shopping centre
What in the name of god has that stuff to do with politics……

A friend of mine thought as we lived in Drumcondra that we should bring a community transport issue to B Ahern -i did not want to – he wrote and was told by telephone that ” he is not doing meetings only openings ” thats more of it

His man of the people routine is starting to wear thin and I don’t think people are buying it anymore, not as much as they had before though… I paid my own way just like I always do.

The simple question is this; would he have been invited had he not been minister for finance? Even if he was opposition spokesperson for finance no-one would have even looked his way.

Dragging up an invite or poster etc. with reference to his position would be a major punch in the gut for him, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if something surfaces on it eventually.