Regarding Suzanne Breen's claims today about a "Stormont Spyring":

First of all it needs to be said that Breen has an agenda and a long history of peddling anti-SF propaganda. She has no credibility among republicans - and that's doubly significant in view of the fact that she's claiming one of us as her source for this article. Why would a Shinner speak to her? If I had a grievance with the party that I wanted to go public with, I wouldn't go to someone like her - not just because I can't stand her, but also because I would know most republicans don't believe anything she writes anyway.

But I'll play along. If these claims are true, they are so much further from the original allegations that they're almost laughable - and the fact that a democratically elected government could be brought down on the basis of them is appalling. There might be legitimate questions about the ethics of such activities, but for jaysus sake does anyone believe the likes of Fianna Fáil aren't up to the same thing?

Well, have a look at the following from Katie Hannon's book The Naked Politician (published in 2004):

There is one such person who is a familiar face around Leinster House. He eats in the self-service restaurant most days and can often be seen enjoying a sociable drink with his colleagues in the Visitors' Bar. And yet most people are vague about what it is he actually does. In fact he works in the Taoiseach's Department in Government Buildings where his post is officially described as that of 'researcher'. But that doesn't come close to describing the highly unusual role this young man plays in the Fianna Fáil political machine. His job involves keeping files on political rivals and media figures, for use when in election mode or in times of crisis. He reports directly to one of the Taoiseach's aides.

I am shocked. Shocked! Isn't it time that Fianna Fáil's Leinster House spyring was investigated, the government collapsed and the culprits brought to justice?