DAIL SKETCH: Unlike one of his predecessors, who famously derided a Fianna Fáil-PD government as "a temporary little arrangement", the Taoiseach is a known enthusiast for coalition.
So a sceptical Opposition continued to wonder yesterday if, almost in spite of himself, Mr Ahern had become a member of that ultimate political alliance - the coalition of the willing, currently campaigning to replace the government of Iraq.
Specifically, Pat Rabbitte referred to two lists drawn up by President Bush: the 30 countries overtly supporting the war, and the Swindlers' List (as it were) of 15, offering tacit support but unwilling or unable to go public. Might Ireland be one of the 15? the Labour leader asked.
Mr Ahern first protested that he didn't know who was on the list. Pressed further, he suggested that if the Americans were counting overflight facilities then Ireland "probably" did feature.
But as a pincer-movement from the Labour and Green benches threatened to expose his rear, he sensed an ambush and retreated.
"We are not part of the coalition of the willing," he snapped, ending the argument.
It was an isolated skirmish on a day when parties were still mopping up after the all-out engagement of last week's debate.
There was even some tentative bridge-building, as Enda Kenny offered Fine Gael's support to the Government if it led a "vigorous" campaign on humanitarian aid. When he also quoted approvingly Eamon de Valera's 1936 address to the League of Nations, he seemed dangerously close to becoming embedded with the Soldiers of Destiny.
But the Fianna Fáil bed is not too comfortable at the moment, and de Valera's message, "that all small states can do is determine not to become tools of the great", felt like another lump in the mattress.
Whatever about the President's XV, Ireland is definitely a member of another controversial group of 15, the European Union.
And reporting on the weekend summit in Brussels, the Taoiseach noted hopefully the EU leaders' stress on the importance of dialogue and co-operation with the Arab and Islamic worlds, "to underline that this is not a clash of civilisations".
But optimism is rationed in the war-torn Dáil. And in return, Pat Rabbitte quoted Chris Patten quoting Winston Churchill about "the thankless deserts of Mesopotamia" and kicked sand in the Taoiseach's face.
On the home front, Labour condemned again the "railroading" of the Freedom of Information Act, with particular scorn poured on the "high priestess of openness, accountability and transparency" (the Rev Mary Harney) for being "happy to go along with it".
Ms Harney might have quipped that the Government was a coalition of the willing, but wisely she said nothing.
