Miriam Lord: Fitzgerald dodges the question like a true Tánaiste

The former tánaiste looked across at the new Tánaiste.

“Can you answer the question?”

Coming from Joan Burton, that was a bit rich.

The former Labour leader, of all people, should have known the score on the fronting-up front.

She spent the best part of two years avoiding tough Dáil questions when she was in Frances Fitzgerald’s job.

Joan seemed very frustrated. It was hard not to take pleasure in it.

“Welcome to our world,” thought the battle-weary all around the chamber.

Micheál Martin and Gerry Adams, well versed in the art of trying to winkle answers from Enda Kenny and his stand-ins, couldn’t help but smile when Joan found herself on the other side of the stonewalling.

All three wanted to know if the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice had asked Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan yet about how she instructed her legal team at the O’Higgins commission to deal with the issue of Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.

They’ve been asking the same question of her for a while now. And Frances has been talking around it with such dexterity, it’s like Joan Burton never left.

“I have no doubt that within the legal constraints she will say as much as possible when she is questioned in future on these issues,” she said of the commissioner, who has been saying as much as possible, which is more or less nothing.

And don’t talk to the Tánaiste about legal constraints. Because she’s been talking about little else. If she were any more constrained, they’d have to wheel her into the Dáil on a trolley, Hannibal Lecter-style.

Yet, the question is really very simple. Has she, or has she not, asked O’Sullivan what instructions she gave the lawyers for An Garda Síochána.

This, following the emergence of transcripts from the early stages of the inquiry, would appear to indicate that the top brass intended to take down McCabe – who was causing them no end of problems – by destroying his credibility and character.

Don’t look now

But Frances can’t address the transcripts, because their very existence in the public realm is illegal and she could be arrested for even looking at them.

As the documents in questions were flying around the media, the Tánaiste protested that she doesn’t have access to them.

She ventured to suggest that the Opposition leaders don’t have access to them either.

“Oh, but we do,” replied Micheál Martin.

“Perhaps you do,” sniffed Frances.

“It is just that, as an ol’ Corkonian, I can read the Examiner,” pointed out the Fianna Fáil leader. Right enough, their special correspondent Mick Clifford has been publishing bits of transcripts with abandon.

Not to mention RTÉ’s Paul Reynolds, reporting from outside Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park with yet more transcripts, these ones perhaps giving a modicum of comfort to the beleaguered commissioner.

He’s a brave man, standing so near to a big police station while discussing transcripts which are so dangerously illegal that the Tánaiste would risk 10 years’ hard labour were she to even broach the subject with O’Sullivan.

It’s like Deliverance, except with duelling transcripts instead of banjos in police hillbilly country.

Everyone should all stay calm. That’s what unflappable Frances is saying.

“We have had a commission of investigation for two years now, led by Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins, and a very thorough and thoughtful report. It behoves us all to consider the report in its entirety,” she cooed, as the Opposition TDs fumed.

All fired up

“It behoves the Tánaiste to answer the question. Where is Dáil reform now?” said Mary Lou McDonald.

Sinn Féin was all fired up on this issue. You could see Gerry Adams meant business – he had three badges on his lapels.

His colleague Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin begged the Ceann Comhairle to make the Tánaiste answer the question. Seán Ó Fearghaíl said he couldn’t do that.

Frances promised to have “ongoing conversations” with the commissioner and if it if was “feasible and legal” for her to release more information, she was sure that would happen.

“We want you to do it,” sulked Gerry.

No much chance of that. Although who knows what illegal transcripts might yet emerge?

Thing is, Enda Kenny has spoken from America and he thinks everything is grand. He’s back today, and set to announce the names of his new junior ministers.

A nation may not await, but a lot of anxious-looking Fine Gael backbenchers were skulking around the corridors yesterday looking very troubled.

In the meantime, the Fianna Fáil leader announced his new front bench yesterday.

In a nod the new politics and the need to have as many lovely ladies beside the leader at photocalls, Micheál courageously decided to give places to four women on his 22-strong front bench.

Then he gender-proofed this move by making sure that all four stood next to him in the front row after they all swaggered down the plinth to face the media.

And why wouldn’t they swagger? After all, they believe themselves to be the real cabinet.