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Footballer Ger Brennan, a leading No campaigner, joins Fianna Fáil

Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening in Irish politics right now…

DO YOU WANT State of the Nation delivered to your inbox every morning at 9.30am? Sign-up to our email alert at the bottom of this story.

Everyone’s talking about…

All-Ireland winning footballer Ger Brennan has joined Fianna Fáil.

Ger Brennan Ger Brennan Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Several papers are reporting that the Dublin player has joined his local cumann on Dublin’s north side.

Some commentators are tipping Brennan to run for election in Dublin Central, saying he has the backing of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

However, the Herald says Brennan has ruled out running in the upcoming general election, instead wanting to focus on local involvement.

“The larger picture is that you never know what the future holds, but certainly in the next few years it’s not my focus,” he said.

Brennan was one of the most prominent sports people to call for a No vote in the recent same-sex marriage referendum.

His involvement in Fianna Fáil will come as a boost as the party looks to get back on track following the shock resignation of Senator Averil Power – who was heavily critical of the party’s approach to the marriage referendum.

Inside Leinster House

The banking inquiry is set to look into the leaking of former civil servant Kevin Cardiff’s statement to several media outlets. The committee is likely to discuss the issue at its private meeting today, with confusion as to how the document became public.

The agenda

  • The cabinet is meeting today.
  • Communications Minister Alex White will answer questions at 2pm.
  • The Environment Committee will discuss the country’ electoral commission at 2.15pm.
  • The first Leaders’ Questions of the week will kick off at 3.15pm.
  • The banking inquiry committee will hold a private meeting at 3.30pm.
  • Senators are set to debate the GP service bill at 4.45pm.
  • TDs will debate urban regeneration at 5.54pm, before turning their attention to employment equality at 7.30pm.

What the others are saying

  • The Irish Examiner notes that the banking inquiry is set to hear about a 2008 dispute between Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan over whether or not to include Anglo in the bank guarantee.
  • The Irish Times reports that Amnesty International has denied there is any political motivation behind its calls for a more liberal abortion regime here.
  • The same paper notes that Fine Gael Senator Paul Coghlan has said a lack of police is hindering the fight against fuel smuggling in the north.

In case you missed it

On the Twitter machine

For the day that’s in it…

Originally published: 9am

Read: Move over Renua, there could soon be ANOTHER new party in town

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    Mute Philip Kenna
    Favourite Philip Kenna
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    Mar 10th 2013, 5:50 PM

    What are these people thinking!

    90
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    Mute Terry Morgan
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    Mar 10th 2013, 5:52 PM

    Profits!

    49
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    Mute Justin Devaney
    Favourite Justin Devaney
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:21 PM

    It’s only a matter of time before I see a cow in a tiny pair of speedos covered in fake tan in a field flexing his muscles.

    66
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    Mute mohamad oconnor
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    Mar 10th 2013, 7:05 PM

    Beef is so last year 2013 it’s all about horse!!

    22
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Mar 10th 2013, 11:36 PM

    Hey leave my horse outside

    2
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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Mar 10th 2013, 5:51 PM

    How many steroids does it take to turn a cow into a horse ?

    47
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    Mute Stephen Church
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    Mar 10th 2013, 5:58 PM

    Ask sarah jessica parkers plastic surgeon ?

    98
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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:01 PM

    @ Stephen…
    Oh dear Jases, I havn’t laughed that much in ages . 10/10

    34
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    Mute damien foley
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:04 PM

    how many does it take to turn u into ass

    13
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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:05 PM

    Or for you to kiss mine !!!

    32
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    Mute Griffosaurus
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:16 PM

    JasuZ damo who pissed in ur cornflakes…..

    29
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    Mute Little Jim
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    Mar 10th 2013, 9:31 PM

    Mad for ass that lad, mad for it..

    18
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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:40 PM

    This is arguably worse than the horsemeat scandal.
    Irish beef is such a fantastic product, I’m surprised the IFA even let it get this far.
    I mean, is this not Angel Dust by a different name?

    45
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    Mute dermot ryan
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    Mar 11th 2013, 12:50 AM

    The I.F.A. have a turnover of 44million and a retired cop on his pension as its leader …what makes you think that the I.F.A. care about farmers, farming or indeed the consumer …………. think Jack O’Connor and you have the I.F.A. …in my opinion ..
    It’s as simple as this folks this is being done to open up the american beef producers to the european market and to hell with the consequences , the same thing happened when the original CAP was introduced but in that case it was the brazilian beef market and the result ? ………. rainforest destruction and no tarriffs put on Brazil ! …….It’s only a matter of time before drones fly over Ireland !

    8
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    Mute Barry McSweeney
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    Mar 10th 2013, 9:57 PM

    It is worse than the original article describes.
    “At the same time as it scrapped illegal steroid use from cross compliance, the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament also dropped water quality from the same system of checks and balances.”

    So while “feck it up” Phil is making rural dwellers pay for their septic thanks, his European colleagues want to lower standards. Can I have my money back, Phil?

    25
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Mar 10th 2013, 7:07 PM

    Proof of the lobby groups power in Europe, We’re a member of a Cartel!

    24
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:55 PM

    Short term greed, long term loss and when it all goes belly-up who’ll pay the tab? Why, the tax-payer, of course.

    21
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    Mute Eoin Darcy
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:56 PM

    Why are we in the eu again?

    20
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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Mar 10th 2013, 9:57 PM

    Grants for farmers.

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    Mute Harvey Lumpy
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    Mar 10th 2013, 8:38 PM

    So they are saying to the farmers go ahead and break the law to make higher profits and we’ll continue to pay you to do it. Muppets. It would be very shortsighted of farmers to do this.

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    Mute Barry McSweeney
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    Mar 10th 2013, 7:58 PM

    No-one knows what happens in the European Parliament which is why these bastards can get away with murder.
    What have the Eurofanatics eg Brigid Laffan to say about this?

    16
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    Mute chair man
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:33 PM

    I see that they haven’t learned from the horse/beef scandal ….

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    Mute Justin Devaney
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    Mar 10th 2013, 6:41 PM

    I wonder will Ikea put steroids in their shit cakes?

    22
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    Mute Barry McSweeney
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    Mar 10th 2013, 8:42 PM

    Where were our farming organisations in all this?
    Still bullshitting us that Irish meat can be trusted from “farm to fork”? While they picket Coveney’s office for more money.

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    Mute Michael Roughan
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    Mar 10th 2013, 10:56 PM

    Eat any meat at your peril, they are all pumped with hormones, antibiotics , growth promoters, animal vaccination , etc. they you kill them when they are in a slaughter house, pumping with animal adrenaline on top of all the chemicals. No wonder people’s body chemistry has changed for the worse

    9
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    Mute Michael Gorman
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    Mar 10th 2013, 10:02 PM

    That it I’m finished with Irish beef going to Tesco’s and get English beef at least it wont have that shit in it.

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    Mute Ciaran MacAoidh
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    Mar 10th 2013, 11:06 PM

    This isn’t about Ireland, it’s about the EU and England is in the EU too.

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    Mute Michael Gorman
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    Mar 10th 2013, 9:59 PM

    That finish’s me with Irish beef only English beef from Tesco’s from now on it cant be any worse than this irish shit.

    4
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