Call me cynical...

It's easy to poke fun at politicians in Ireland at present, especially our current government.

After all, when the plaudits are rolling in from a lazy, unquestioning media for an over inflated, property bubble economy, they are more than happy to take the credit for it.

But with the bluebird of happiness long gone and the chicken of depression perched on our windowsill, our glorious leaders are happy to tell us that all of our problems are due to global market economies.

Not anything they may have done, oh no!

In fact the sports writer who used to run the country blames the whole economic mess on the collapse Bear Sterns and Lehman Brothers, in a case of passing the buck that must surely be without parallell.

How could we possibly have ever taken him seriously?

Speaking of sports, when I learned today that one of the many perks open to members of the Oireachtas is a free Fitness Centre I was a little perplexed.

After all, if one thing is clear from a look at the government benches, it's that over a decade in government has left the midriff of most government TD's somewhat the worse for wear.

If they had been paying for a gym over the last four years, they should ask for a refund. As it is, it's the electorate that's short-changed.

The Oireachtas Press Office informed me today that over 318 people had gone through an induction for the Oireachtas fitness room as the gym is open to staff as well as elected representatives.

Sadly they were not willing to tell me which government or opposition members have done so (although it's pretty easy to guess which TD's didn't take advantage of the facility.)

They did admit that "expenditure to the amount of €34,438 was incurred in 2008 in relation to the operation of the fitness room."

The figure may seem small in the grand scheme of things, but due to the fact that our TD's are among the least hard working in Europe and that the Daíl only sat for a total of 96 days in 2008, the total number of hours per week the gym operates is between 18 and 1/2 and 28 and 1/2 hours per week.

Not only that, but the service is serviced solely by the taxpayer with no contribution whatsoever by members of the Oireachtas or Oireachtas staff. None. Not a penny.

If the 318 people had paid the going rate for a gym membership in the city centre (€300) there would be a net benefit to the exchequer of over €60,000.

Instead, this is yet another case of this government approving a scheme that costs the taxpayers, to the sole benefit of these so called public servants.

The real hoot however, is the reason given for the scheme; "to counterbalance some of the negative lifestyle aspects of working in parliament."

Negative lifestlye aspects? Would that be the subsidised (by the taxpayer) bar in the basement of Leinster House?

Or the many, many rich lunches and dinners in expensive retaurants around the city centre paid for (again) by the taxpayer?

Perhaps they're talking about the really tough trips abroad that all those beleagured politicians have to make?

Here's a simple, cheap, income generating idea to "counterbalance some of the negative lifestyle aspects of working in parliament."

Why don't our government ministers, TD's and former ministers give up the chauffeured government limo's, the rich lunches and the cheap booze, get off their fat arses and either take the bike or walk to work?

It's perfectly acceptable for lots of politicians in democracies around the world. You'd look a lot better, you'd be more in touch with the electorate and perhaps, just perhaps, we might have some respect for you.

Actually I lied about that very last point. That ship has sailed.