Ministerial trend continues

‘Buildings speak of us as a society and define us,’ said Minister for the Arts Martin Cullen this week, announcing Ireland’s entries in this year’s Venice Biennale.

‘We don’t know what they say, or how exactly they define us, because they speak with the voice of bricks, steel and glass, which can be difficult to decipher. But all of our daily lives are affected by architecture, because everywhere we go, we are surrounded by things that have been built. Architecture can bring all sorts of emotions, and make us happy, uplifted or sad - something all great artistic people can do.’

The Ministerial habit of referring to ‘artistic people’ in the same respectful, vague tone as they refer to ‘members of the Jewish faith’ was begun by Charles Haughey.

The Minister promised that the new Abbey Theatre would ‘go ahead in my time’, but would not be drawn as to whether that meant his time as Minister or his time in the more general sense.

Cholesterol Screening Is Urged for TDs

The new guidelines were to be issued by the Irish Academy of Pediatrics on Monday amid growing evidence that the first signs of heart disease in the nation’s adults show up in Ministers.

The push to aggressively screen and medicate for high cholesterol in TDs is certain to create controversy amid a continuing debate about the use of prescription drugs in the Dail as well as the best approaches to ward off heart disease in adults.

The Academy also now recommends giving TDs low-fat milk after 12 months if a doctor is concerned about future weight problems. Although TDs need fat for brain development, the group says that because they often consume so much fat on the various trips and free lunches they attend, low-fat milk is now appropriate.