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An Answer to the “Running coke Joke”, Lenihan Supports Drug-Testing for TDs
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Simon Coveney in today’s Examiner following the not so wonderful RTE expose on high-society drug use.;
“It’s a running joke on the corridors of Leinster House: which minister is the cocaine user. Mr Ahern needs to sort it out.”
An answer is ready made, drug test Dail Eireann. Rather than continue with the farcical behaviour and finger pointing.
Update: Conor Lenihan supports drug testing for TDs and others, as well as suggesting that Delaney-Wilson’s claims on Ministers snorting coke are quite believable. Meanwhile, Bertie will be forced to take a question or two on it again tomorrow as Simon Coveney raises the issue again.
When the issue of drug testing was raised in these columns some time ago, I suggested that ALL TDs; LOCAL AUTHORITY COUNCILLORS & SENATORS should submit to a drugs test AND to a Lie Detector Test – to confirm that they have NEVER taken a bribe; a cash sum from anyone for favours; an interest free loan; or bartered their political influence.
Who cares that TDs are taking cocaine? What matters is the hypocracy of the whole ‘war on drugs’ and its ultimate futility. As for being implicated in the violent crime associated with the drugs trade; it is the facile belief that the spectacular profits available will ever be foregone by criminals that is the real moral paradox in all of this. Judges, bishops, Gardai and ordinary joe soap TDs are indirectly responsible for the violence on our streets, not because they take cocaine, but because their policies and pieties lead directly to the enrichment of evil men.
By the way the RTE programme, while making a wonderful melodrama (and almost making me cry into my G & T for those poor Rutland Clinic types) was remarkable in only one sence – it showed yet again how different standards are applied in all aspects of Irish public life to different socio-economic demographic groups.