Time for Cathal to Goan??!!!

‘Surely it is time for Cathal to be Goan’ - declared a press release issued by Fianna Fail on Tuesday night.

Fianna Fail was absolutely furious at a report on the RTE news on Monday night in which it lampooned the now infamous nude painting of Taoiseach Brian Cowen by an anonymous artist.

Most newspapers in Ireland carried the story of how a rogue artist managed to get away with placing his/her work in two top Dublin galleries without anyone seeing them.

But it was RTE’s ‘offensive’ report - in which it showed people on the streets copies of the painting and asked for their opinions - that really irked Fianna Fail.

And in a direct pot shot at RTE Director General Cathal Goan, Fianna Fail Dublin North TD Michael Kennedy, declared that it is now time for Cathal to Goan!!

“The item represented a gross insult to the position of An Taoiseach, not to mention a personal affront to the dignity of the man himself,” fumed Kennedy.

“The position of An Taoiseach deserves respect, especially from our national public service broadcaster,” he ranted in defence of his lord and master.

Relations between the Government and RTE have been somewhat strained in recent months - incidents like the erroneous RTE report that the IMF were coming to Ireland to sort out our finances is just one that springs to mind.

It is highly unlikely that Cathal will Goan as a result of this ‘tasteless’ (Fianna Fail’s description) report.

But one thing is for sure, if Kennedy - or whomever in the press office responsible for the snappy release - ever finds themselves out of a job, a career in headline writing certainly beckons!