George Lee's impulsive exit from politics highlights a certain malaise common in the Irish public sphere; namely, the cosiness between the political and media elites writes Joseph Galvin

Prominent political journalists are well known to mingle in the Dail bar with the politicians they are supposed to be critiquing, often counting these same people as personal friends. Indeed, a cursory glance at the Irish media exposes plainly many associations between media and politics.

Statement by Enda Kenny on George Lee

I’m greatly saddened by George Lee's decision to resign from Fine Gael and politics just eight months into his new Dáil career. 

In July I appointed George to Chair the Parliamentary Party's Economic and Business Affairs Committee which all members of the Party could attend, and which was designed to act as a core group in developing Fine Gael economic policy for the next General Election. During a period of great political uncertainty when a General Election seemed imminent George played a very important role in Chairing our Business and Economic Forums around the country before Christmas. These played an integral part in planning our pre-Budget submission. George, along with our other economic Spokesmen, planned and presented that Fine Gael position to the media at Budget time. I had anticipated a very important role for George in the coming period with Fine Gael after a time of settling into a new career in politics. 

I wish to announce that I have resigned from the Fine Gael Party and from my seat in Dáil Eireann today Monday 8th February 2010. 

It has been a very difficult decision, but it is one that I have taken after a great deal of reflection on my position and on the role that I have been playing in Fine Gael since I joined that Party in May last year. 

There were four gardaí outside the examination hall at Trinity College last Tuesday evening. I asked them who was attending an event (on electoral systems) in the hall and was worth assaulting. They thought about the question, and acknowledged that they had no idea.

The event was both a seminar and a sitting of the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, chaired by the admirable Sean Ardagh TD. The event was boring - not quite excruciatingly so, but very much so. More than that, it was entirely pointless.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin today launched the Irish Programme for 2010, the ‘European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion’. However, in an inverview with Politico, Minister Hanafin could not commit to reducing the vast disparity in poverty rates around the country. Nor could she assure that further cuts to Community Development Programmes would not be made in 2010, the year dedicated to combating poverty and social exclusion. (Audio below)

Minister for transport Noel Dempsey TD has called for radical reform of the Irish electoral system. Minister Dempsey was speaking after the first public sitting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on The Constitution, held last night in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). The session had been convened to discuss electoral reform in the constitution.

Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony today called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to reduce expenditure on Irish embassies and consulates worldwide. O’Mahony’s call was prompted by figures released by the Department of Foreign Affairs, at Mr. O’Mahony’s request, which show that the state has spent €180m on the administration of Ireland's embassies and consulates abroad in the last three years.

At 6.05pm last Tuesday in Dáil Éireann , Arthur Morgan of Sinn Féin was speaking on the motion to hold an inquiry into the banking crisis.

Brian Lenihan, the Minister for Finance, was on the government front bench talking to Frank Fahey, and they were having great gas. Beside Lenihan was Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, who was standing talking to Áine Brady and Peter Power in the second row of the government benches, and they were having great gas.