George:I"ll Segway into Dail Eireann; As he sews up the teddy bear vote, by-election favourite says he will out-green the Greens if he wins.(Features) - The Mail on Sunday (London, England)

Byline: Warren Swords

THERE have been plenty of bizarre spectacles at the Dail over the years but a TD arriving at Government Buildings on a "magic carpet" would certainly be right up there.

That"s exactly what Fine Gael candidate George Lee is planning to do should he be elected on Friday - triumphantly travel to the Dail on the much-derided Segway he calls his "magic carpet".

In an interview with the Irish Mail on Sunday, RTE"s former economics editor also gave the clearest indication yet that he wants the job of minister for finance before issuing a non-financial prediction that Dublin would lift the Sam Maguire in September.

The Dublin South candidate plans to shake up a lot of things in the Department of Finance but it"ll be transport where he"ll create the biggest stir initially.

The economics guru told the MoS that if he"s elected, he"ll be commuting to Kildare Street aboard his E6,000 Segway - and parking it alongside the dozens of luxury ministerial limousines.

"Absolutely. I think we will see the Segway at the Dail - why not? Why should the Green Party be the only people getting there on their green machines? They don"t own the environmental agenda," declared George.

"But the reason why I will be taking it in to the Dail is that the Segway feels like a magic carpet. It"s just good fun. I"m delighted I have one and I won"t be afraid to use it." "It"s great. I think everyone should have one. It represents the future, the new thinking. And it represents hope, that we can come up with new solutions. So yeah! Let"s use it." However, his press officer - like a parent trying to calm an overexcited child - quickly interjected to say: "We"ll think about it." The Segway is a two-wheeled, selfbalancing electric vehicle that is capable of speeds of 20kph. It is seen as a green way to commute as it doesn"t release any emissions and can travel up to 38km on a single charge costing just 15 cents.

Such is George"s enthusiasm for the Segway, he even offered take this reporter for a spin on it next time he"s out.

It"s this enthusiasm that has energised the electorate in Dublin South and canvassing yesterday at Dundrum Town Centre, he was greeted with smiles of recognition and much backslapping. At one stage, he was even hugged by a 7ft tall teddy bear, remarking that "most people don"t hug me as softly as that".

George took the news that Paddy Power had offered odds of 12-1 on him becoming the next minister of finance with gusto. "Have they? I didn"t know that," he said.

"I don"t know how bookies make up these odds. I"m kind of struck by the fact that Brian Lenihan said the other day that I wouldn"t last one day in the Department of Finance. I thought that was rich coming from someone who was a lawyer and who has had four budgets in one year." While claiming he had made "no deal" with Fine Gael before joining he said: "I"m not coming into politics as a young person. I"m 46 years old and I spent the most recent 17 years explaining economics to people on a public forum and, before then, in lots of economics jobs.

"I"m coming in with an economic strength and I want to be able to use that strength for the good of the people. Where that takes me, I don"t know but I certainly don"t want to be hiding that strength under a bushel.

"Now that decision is up to other people at the moment, whether I get a role. I got no deal in relation to a role but I really feel strongly - I didn"t make the move to jump away from where I was at, which was a very good job, just for the fun of it," he added.

The debutant candidate also clarified his comments regarding the Seanad - where he appeared to advocate abolishing it despite Fine Gael favouring to keep the Upper House.

"What I said at the time was regarding a report about the Seanad taking a day off because a person there organised a golf outing. It"s a disgrace. Unemployment is going up at an average this year of 6,000 a week and these guys go and take their days off. I mean, they"re only sitting 40 or 50 days.

"The way it was put to me was: "Do you think the Seanad should be abolished?" and I said: "Would I care if it was, if that"s what they do?"" However, he said he believed there were many senators who did a very good job but that "there are some people you would wonder why they are in the Seanad at all. I want to see the thing reformed.

"The way it"s working and who decides who goes in - it just makes a joke of the thing. I want to see a directly elected Seanad and a much more representative Seanad." George Lee is best known for his accurate financial predictions so Dublin fans will be pleased to hear that Lee is backing Dublin to win the All-Ireland football championship this year, starting with a victory next week against Meath.

"Meath are a young team who are coming up. But Pat Gilroy has done well bringing players through this year and moving different players into different positions for Dublin. I think Dublin will shade it. I"ll be looking forward to seeing players from the Dublin South clubs such as Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden St Endas in the team.

"Hopefully, come September, it"ll be the first time in 14 years that the Sam Maguire will come to Dublin."

warren.swords@mailonsunday.ie

CAPTION(S):

I DID IT SEGWAY: George Lee claims his "magic carpet" represents the future

BEAREST MAJORITY: The man who would be minister gets a hug from an outsized teddy in Dundrum