Political Quiz 2018

There was a great response from Sunday Business Post readers to the 2018 political quiz with entries coming in from all around the country by post and online. Thanks to everyone who took part.

The winner was Gemma O'Flynn from Bishopstown, Co Cork. She will be getting a case of Bollinger Special Cuvée champagne.

The full list of questions and correct answers in the political quiz are available below:

QUESTION 1

Sinn Féin MP Barry McElduff was suspended from his party for three months last January and subsequently resigned from office because he:

(a) Circulated on social media a photograph of himself wearing a Kingsmill sliced pan on his head on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre;

(b) Was found guilty of criminal assault;

(c) Was judged to have been engaged in money-laundering;

(d) Signalled his intention of voting against the government’s referendum to repeal the 8th amendment to the constitution.

CORRECT ANSWER IS (a)

QUESTION 2

In the opinion of Fine Gael junior Minister Patrick O’Donovan, sharing government with Sinn Féin would:

(a) Help bring about a united Ireland;

(b) Obstruct the path towards a united Ireland;

(c) Help tackling gangland criminals;

(d) Risk the security of the state.

CORRECT ANSWER IS (d)

QUESTION 3

Attorney General Seamus Woulfe SC described the Judicial Appointments Bill as:

(a) a dog’s dinner;

(b) legislative version of a Rolls Royce;

(c) a crock of shyte;

(d) fit for purpose

CORRECT ANSWER IS (a)

QUESTION 4

Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly was caught on CCTV camera on 3rd February, 2018 doing what?

(a) Removing a clamp off his car;

(b) Selling drugs outside Ollie’s nightclub

(c) Busking outside Belfast City Hall;

(d) In a sleeping bag on Molesworth Street in Dublin.

CORRECT ANSWER IS (a)

QUESTION 5

Who is the Govt Press Secretary?

(a) Oliver Callan

(b) Nick Miller

(c) Sean O’Rourke

(d) Eoin Ó Neachtain

CORRECT ANSWER IS (b)

QUESTION 6

Which Fine Gael politician made a bullying complaint against a party colleague in 2018?

(a) Regina Doherty

(b) Brian Hayes

(c) Alan Shatter

(d) Catherine Noone

CORRECT ANSWER IS (d)

QUESTION 7

What percentage of voters supported the removal of the constitutional ban on abortion?

(a) 56.4 per cent

(b) 66.4 per cent

(c) 76.4 per cent

(d) 86.4 per cent

CORRECT ANSWER IS (b)

QUESTION 8

Who came last in the presidential election last November?

(a) Peter Casey

(b) Gavin Duffy

(c) Sean Gallagher

(d) Joan Freeman

CORRECT ANSWER IS (b)

QUESTION 9

The budgetary policy pursued by Finance Minister Paschal Donohue repeatedly misses its own targets and needed to be reviewed, according to which body?

(a) Council for Irish Civil Liberties

(b) Council of State

(c) Irish Fiscal Advisory Council

(d) Council of Ministers

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 10

Who did Micheal Martin appoint as his deputy leader last March?

(a) Eamon Ó Cuiv

(b) Jim O’Callaghan

(c) Dara Calleary

(d) Timmy Dooley

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 11

President Michael D Higgins caused controversy when it was revealed that he travelled to Belfast in which of the following circumstances:

(a) Cycling a High-Nelly bicycle

(b) Using a Lear Jet

(c) In a Lamborgini driven by Conor McGregor

(d) In the back-seat of a Nissan Micra being driven by an unlicensed driver

CORRECT ANSWER IS (b)

QUESTION 12

“Despicable, low and rotten” is the phrase used famously in which of the following contexts:

(a) Former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan’s description of the findings of the Judge Peter Charleton in the Protected Disclosures Tribunal report on allegations of corruption made by Sergeant Maurice McCabe

(b) Eamon Dunphy’s analysis of the performance of the Irish soccer team in 2018

(c) President Trump’s response to the suggestion that he should wear a proper hair-piece

(d) DUP MP Sammy Wilson’s reaction to the decision of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to refer EU leaders to a report in the Irish Times newspaper of a border killing in 1972

CORRECT ANSWER IS (d)

QUESTION 13

Former senator Máiría Cahill is currently a member of which of the following two political parties?

(a) Ulster Unionist Party and Fine Gael

(b) Sinn Féin and SDLP

(c) SDLP and Labour

(d) Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 14

At his inauguration in Dublin Castle on the 11th November, President Michael D Higgins promised which of the following:

(a) that he would not seek re-election as President of Ireland

(b) every citizen would be invited to take afternoon tea with him in Aras an Uachtarán (but not all at the same time)

(c) a real and beautiful Republic of inclusivity, creativity, imagination, love and indeed joy

(d) free travel for anyone who was gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 15

In the Blasphemy referendum on November 2, the people voted to:

(a) insert into the constitution, a ban on blasphemous comments

(b) remove from the constitution all references to blasphemy

(c) amend the blasphemy provision to include specific references to Fine Gael politicians

(d) none of the above

CORRECT ANSWER IS (b)

QUESTION 16

Which member of the cabinet is known as Posh Boy?

(a) Eoghan Murphy

(b) Shane Ross

(c) Paschal Donohue

(d) Simon Harris

CORRECT ANSWER IS (a)

QUESTION 17

Denis Naughten resigned as Minister for Communications because:

(a) He was moving to a job as chief executive of the Irish Banking and Payments Federation

(b) He submitted unvouched expenses claims;

(c) He attended unminuted meetings with the bidder for the state’s rural broadband contract;

(d) He had unauthorised use of government jet

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 18

Presidential candidate Peter Casey caused controversy over his comments about:

(a) Taxi drivers

(b) Travellers

(c) Teachers

(d) Tourists

CORRECT ANSWER IS (b)

QUESTION 19

Which one of the following is a member of the Social Democrats?

(a) Brid Smith

(b) Maureen O’Sullivan

(c) Catherine Martin

(d) Róisin Shortall

CORRECT ANSWER IS (d)

QUESTION 20

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that “a number” of which of the following groups were gay:

(a) Patriots involved in the foundation of the state

(b) Farmers

(c) Irish entrepreneurs

(d) GAA referees

CORRECT ANSWER IS (a)

QUESTION 21

Which former Fine Gael government minister was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2019?

(a) Alan Shatter

(b) Alan Dukes

(c) George Bermingham

(d) John Bruton

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 22

In the Dáil debate on the government’s new abortion legislation, some pro-life TDs suggested that doctors seek information on a woman’s age, ethnicity, marital status and previous reproductive history. In response, Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell said the TDs in favour of such a proposal should:

(a) be congratulated

(b) go away and commit suicide

(c) be ashamed of themselves

(d) go and sing for their supper

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 23

On the 23rd June, 2018, Culture Minister Josepha Madigan went to Mass in her local church in Mount Merrion in south Dublin and…

(a) walked out in protest at the pro-life sermon given by the priest

(b) sang a gospel hymn

(c) led prayers

(d) refused to leave when asked by the priest

CORRECT ANSWER IS (c)

QUESTION 24

What did Leo Varadkar do at the Kylie Minogue concert?

(a) go back stage, meet Kylie and have some food with pals

(b) go up on stage with Kylie and show the audience how to twerk

(c) do a duet with Kylie on “I should be so happy”

(d) leave after five minutes

CORRECT ANSWER IS (a)

QUESTION 25

What ever happened to Renua?

(a) it closed up shop after the last general election;

(b) it merged with Fine Gael;

(c) it was taken over by former Sinn Féin TD Peader Tóibín;

(d) it continues to operate with the assistance of €258,596 in exchequer funding.

CORRECT ANSWER IS (d)