“A formal complaint about Wednesday’s doorstep has been made by Fine Gael’s Government Press Secretary Feargal Purcell, stating: “The collective behaviour of the journalists in attendance was disgraceful.”

As one of the journalists present, I know that claim is as inaccurate as it is offensive and I would advise Mr Purcell — who recently took a wage hike of €3,500 to bring his salary from taxpayers to €119,795 as reward for getting the Government’s message across so well — that what is really disgraceful is a Taoiseach refusing to comment on one of the most talked-about issues of the day [gay marriage], and a press machine that far too often resembles a mess machine.

…Bizarre accusations of a woman journalist acting in a manner “tantamount to an assault” on the Taoiseach were also thrown about by some — but in reality the only assault that occurred was the one perpetuated by Mr Kenny and his press flunkies upon the nation’s intelligence.”