Microphones are a curse; just ask Gordon Brown - or Mick Wallace, for the latter referred to Fine Gael Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor as "Miss Piggy" in the Dail yesterday.
Given a grown man with a penchant for pink airtex's has felt the compelled to pass comment on her, Mitchell O'Connor has today announced that she's "over it and wants to move on" (off the plinth and down the front steps of Leinster House in the campaign car?) She's even declined the offer of a public apology, stating "It's over, I've forgotten about it. I do not want in mentioned in the floor of Dáil Éireann, I want the business of the House to continue as it should be."
According to The Independent: "Wexford TD Mick Wallace apologised profusely today for his reference to female colleague Mary Mitchell O'Connor as 'Miss Piggy'. 'It's hard to defend the indefensible. I'm very sorry for the offence caused to Mary Mitchell O'Connor. I'm completely out of order,' he said with contrition on the RTE John Murray show. The Independent TD's comment: 'Miss Piggy has toned it down a bit today' provoked laughter and agreement from fellow independents Luke 'Ming' Flanagan and Shane Ross (AKA Statler and Waldorf) who were caught on microphone in the Dail yesterday. 'Ming and Shane Ross had nothing to do with it. It was my fault. I passed the reference because of her handbag ('cause the bag made him call her Miss Piggy... it's not a title he uses all the time, you understand). I'm completely out of order. I don't have a leg to stand on... It was a bit of banter. Clearly it was in bad taste. If there were secret microphones put on most people in the country people wouldn't like what they had to say'."
The article continues with: "Obviously the new edict about suitable attire in the chamber still rankles with Ming and Mick. Modelling one of his trademark pink shirts, Mick was clearly heard to remark: 'Miss Piggy has toned down a bit today.' 'Who's that?' asked a bewildered Shane Ross. 'The Mary Mitchell O'Connor one,' says Ming helpfully, 'the one who drove off the plinth.' The sniggering duo were referring to Fine Gael's Dun Laoghaire TD whose vivid outfits have added a most welcome splash of colour to Leinster House. 'Are they going to bar her from wearing pink?' muttered Mick." If you wish to wile away more of your lunchtime with the audio, you can listen to the japes here.
No, but I bet they've barred her from wearing the usual get up she sports around her constituency. On Daffodil Day she was spotted wandering around Glasthule in a silver lame bomber jacket and towering silver lame wedge heels. Imagine that, Mick, you could've had a field day with yer mates in the back of the class with all the 'PIIIIGGS IIIIIN SPAAAACCCE!' quips. *tsks* Another missed oppertunity...
