Dail Sketch/Michael O'Regan: RTÉ's Joe Duffy is sometimes blamed by TDs for having the audacity to take telephone calls from irate listeners, causing grief to those serving the State in Leinster House.
Yesterday, Pat Kenny was the scapegoat. Labour's Joe Costello was less than impressed when Minister for Justice Michael McDowell was not present for the final-stage debate on the Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill.
Mr Costello welcomed Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, standing in for Mr McDowell, but added that he was somewhat disappointed that the Minister "appeared to find it difficult" to find his way into the House.
"He has no problem finding his way on to Today with Pat Kenny, as he did yesterday morning, to have a nice smug interview without any opposition and to try to steal the limelight about what he intends to do," said Mr Costello.
Some 10 minutes later, Mr McDowell hurried into the chamber, apologising for the delay caused by a meeting with survivors of child abuse. Ms Hanafin seemed relieved to be rid of the Justice portfolio.
Earlier, Fine Gael's Jim O'Keeffe, a solicitor, argued that legislation should be drafted in language intelligible to lay people rather than just legislators and lawyers.
Agreeing, Ms Hanafin said that, with the exception of lawyers, most people could not understand the language used in legislation.
Ms Hanafin then went on to read into the record of the House a reply, drafted no doubt by a civil servant with a populist touch, rejecting a Labour amendment to the Bill.
"In the case of the Schengen Convention, the amendment proposes that a number of parts, but not all, should be added to the schedule. Some of the parts that are proposed to be added have little bearing on the matters in this Bill. The Bill gives effect to just three articles - articles 67 to 69, inclusive - dealing with the transfer of the enforcement of criminal judgments, which is chapter 5 of part 3," she said. There was clarity all round.
Clare Independent James Breen used more homespun language when he pursued Minister for Health Mary Harney on the MRSA bug, which he himself fell victim to some time ago. He wanted to know why Ms Harney was refusing to meet the victims of MRSA, which was "rampant".
Ms Harney looked like a consultant being confronted by a difficult patient when Ceann Comhairle Dr Rory O'Hanlon told Mr Breen that the issue could not be raised under the standing orders governing the Order of Business. "Sorry, the deputy knows that he is out of order," said Dr O'Hanlon.
Mr Breen replied: "I am not out of order . . . The Tánaiste is kicking to touch with the Health Service Executive." When Dr O'Hanlon accused Mr Breen of being "totally disorderly", the Clare deputy replied: "It is a disgrace."
Mr Breen will, no doubt, return to the issue.