Dáil Sketch: Fine Gael's beautiful electoral morning came about in the Dáil yesterday afternoon when the recent byelection victors took their places in the Chamber.
First there was the triumphal arrival of a visibly emotional Shane McEntee, the new Fine Gael TD for Meath, at the gates of Leinster House. There was a rendition of Oh What a Beautiful Morning, in a repeat of the lyrical celebration at the count centre in Navan. It is fast becoming Fine Gael's theme song.
Meanwhile Catherine Murphy, the new Independent TD for Kildare North, was given an equally ecstatic welcome.
Later in the Chamber, Fine Gael and Independent deputies gathered to formally welcome the new TDs as the byelection results were read into the record by clerk Kieran Coughlan.
In the lobby, Fine Gael MEP Máiréad McGuinness and party colleague senator Paul Coghlan took their seats well in advance of the new arrival.
Mr McEntee was led into the Chamber by chief whip Paul Kehoe, to loud applause. Fine Gael deputies, Meath's Damien English and director of elections Tom Hayes, could hardly contain themselves, rising from their seats and appearing to be very close, yet again, to bursting into song.
The ranks of the Independents swelled as Ms Murphy was introduced by Tony Gregory. Indeed, such was the turnout on the Independent benches that Joe Higgins, of the Socialist Party, lost his usual place on the extreme left and moved to another seat on the extreme right, near the steps.
He found himself seated next to Mayo Independent Beverley Flynn, who was dressed in a bright pink outfit with a fur collar.
Ms Murphy received an early introduction to the cut and thrust of Dáil procedure when Clare Independent James Breen, sitting next to her, had a heated row with the Ceann Comhairle on a procedural matter. Like a volcano erupting in the Burren, he insisted on his parliamentary rights, and sat down only when he felt he had received a satisfactory reply.
There were warm and congratulatory speeches from all sides of the House. A crowded public gallery looked on.
Tánaiste Mary Harney advised the two new recruits that matters would not always be as civil. Enda Kenny, a product of a byelection himself, all of 30 years ago, assured Minister Noel Dempsey that his dire campaign warnings about Fine Gael's performance were not taken personally. Mr Dempsey was happy about that.
"We didn't take them seriously either," remarked a still smiling Mr Hayes.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte was positively gushing in his praise of Ms Murphy, a former member of the Labour Party. Labour's Kildare North TD, Emmet Stagg, was not in the Chamber.
Although Labour would no doubt welcome a reconciliation, Ms Murphy appeared very comfortable indeed on the growing Independent benches.
