Mutual admiration society spreads over both sides of House

DÁIL SKETCH:Fine Gael TD John Perry spoke at authoritative length about EU directives and documents as he addressed the Government benches, where Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche was presiding.

"There have been numerous examples where major public concerns have arisen about EU directives, particularly with regard to how they are negotiated," said Perry. "I am pleased the Minister of State Deputy Roche is in the House, because he is dealing decisively with this."

The Minister beamed.

The political love-in continued when it was time for Dick Roche to speak. "I thank Deputy Perry and I have already put on record my appreciation of the patriotic work done by him and Deputy Bernard Durkan and his committee."

The Fine Gael TD beamed.

Inevitably, perhaps, RTÉ was the whipping boy when there were references to what politicians perceive to be the poor media coverage of the burgeoning Oireachtas committees.

"It is a matter of deep and grave public concern," Roche said, "that an organisation supported by taxes, to an extraordinary degree, has completely ignored those committees."

He commended Perry and his Oireachtas committee for struggling long and hard in scrutinising European legislation.

Then Declan Ganley became his target.

"I ask any fair-minded person in broadcasting, the print media or politics to compile the amount of time given in recent weeks by RTÉ to the unelected leader of the Libertas organisation, who has no democratic mandate and little knowledge of EU law or processes."

He went on to reveal his inner self. An Oireachtas committee had produced 16 scrutiny reports on Europe. "Perhaps I am unusual or have a sad life, but I have read them and they are models of clarity.

"With regard to the special report produced by Deputy Perry, on how we should move forward with regard to scrutiny, I urge those who have not had the opportunity to read it to do so."

Fine Gael's Billy Timmins was philosophical about the work of TDs on Oireachtas committees.

"There is no political thanks for one's work on a committee," he said, more in sorrow than anger. "I do not know if one could refer to it as a labour of love."

And so the political love-in drew to a close. Normal adversarial politics resumes at this weekend's Fine Gael national conference.