DÁIL SKETCH:Brian Lenihan waited patiently for his question time debut as Minister for Finance. But there was no sign of Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue, or his deputy Brendan Howlin, writes Michael O'Regan.
Five minutes into the scheduled sitting, Fianna Fáil TD Seán Ardagh, an occasional acting chairman, arrived to get matters under way.
Fine Gael's Richard Bruton wanted to know about the new Minister's policy directives.
Lenihan said that he had been acquainting himself with economic, budgetary and other policy issues.
"As the deputy is aware, new policy directives are normally made primarily in the context of the annual budget statement and the estimates cycle," he added.
Bruton was unimpressed by the brevity of the response.
"I am somewhat disappointed that the Minister has not found that he has some ideas that he would like to implement on taking up office," he remarked.
"I had understood he had been considerably interested in the post for some time."
With Bruton in full flow, Lenihan, a smooth and highly-competent performer, found himself confronted by a crisis.
He discovered he had no pen.
A frantic scribbling sign from the Minister saw Minister of State Máire Hoctor search frantically in her handbag. She produced a pen and scribbled a few words to ensure it was in working order.
Appropriately equipped, Lenihan made some notes.
As the exchanges continued, the Fine Gael man wanted a return to the brevity of the first answer to his questions.
"The time is up,'' said chairman Ardagh in stern tones.
"The Minister could put Sir Humphrey of Yes Ministerto shame in his capacity to defend the status quo in long, rambling replies without seeking to reform anything that might make his department more transparent or accountable to this House,'' said an irritated Bruton.
Labour's Joan Burton, a constituency colleague in Dublin West, referred to Lenihan's remarks in the media concerning the need for consumers and businesses to stop "whingeing".
Mothers who went shopping often heard their children whinge and ask for a bar of chocolate and so on, she said. "Is the Minister telling consumers to cut the whingeing?" she asked.
"He is the one on the salary of €250,000 and the Government has decreed that he will get a €20,000 increase shortly."
Lenihan shook his head, with an expression of incredulity.
"I did not characterise any of the individuals referred to by Deputy Burton as whingers in the article, nor would I," he declared.
Burton wanted to know if he admitted using the word.
"Yes, I did use the word,'' snapped Lenihan. "The manner in which Deputy Burton presented her question would deserve the sobriquet."
When she continued to demand that he withdraw the word, the Minister remarked that he would "observe Deputy Burton's injunction not to use it again".
One suspects that the Minister has removed "whingeing" from his political lexicon, except in the case of Opposition attacks on his political record.