Taoiseach banks on tree stump to save economy
The Mire has just learned that Taoiseach Brian Cowen has asked the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan to drop everything and go directly to Rathkeale in Limerick where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared as an outline in a tree stump.
The two senior Government ministers have been briefed to maintain a vigil at the stump and to pray for the economy. It is understood that senior civil servants in the Taoiseach’s office have persuaded Mr Cowen that divine intervention is the only realistic prospect of turning around the dire economic situation.
The outline of the Blessed Virgin first appeared in the tree stump on Monday and this, together with the prospect of three months holidays, immediately gave rise to a wave of optimism in Leinster House.
However, it is understood that Mr Ahern was reluctant to travel to the stump as he had just reduced the maximum fine payeable for blasphemy. Mr Ahern was afraid that the stump would take a bleak view of his actions and might not want to help the economy.
Mr Lenihan was more optimistic. He said he was confident that the great sacrifices made by the Mirish people on behalf of the economy would “excite the admiration” of the tree stump.