Ashes lend an air of contrition but Government not repentant

Dáil Sketch: Lent is a time for denial, as we know. And Sinn Féin got an early chance to deny something yesterday, when Enda Kenny devoted his Leader's Questions slot to last week's abduction in Belfast of a republican dissident, who police say escaped with his life - and 93 stitches - from a Provisional IRA gang.

Was it not time, Mr Kenny asked, "to stop pandering to the IRA and its political representatives, who are clearly intent on continuing to engage in various forms of criminal behaviour"?

The Taoiseach, apparently the only TD present wearing the traditional ashes, agreed with the general sentiment. He would be meeting Sinn Féin later, he said, and he was "not in a lecturing mode".

But the Government's resistance to excluding parties from the peace process could not continue indefinitely. "It is now almost ten years since the first cease-fire, and seven since the second. It is time to bring these activities to an end."

By coincidence, yesterday was Sinn Féin's turn on the Leaders Questions roster. When Caoimhghín Ó Caolaín raised the Fine Gael leader's comments, however, he was quickly interrupted.

With the forensic skills you develop in the Dáil chair, the Ceann Comhairle noticed that none of the Sinn Féin man's opening sentences had a question mark after it. Mr Ó Caolaín had got as far as complaining about the "vilification of my party", when Mr O'Hanlon pointed out that standing orders allowed "one question on a topical issue". "Is this your question?" he asked.

Mr Ó Caolaín had to admit it wasn't. And before you could say "Pray for us Shinners," that was the end of that.

If we were denied a denial from Sinn Féin, however, the shadow on his brow lent an air of contrition to the Taoiseach, and Joe Higgins was anxious to exploit it. Every year on this day, the Socialist TD is encouraged by the notion that the Government is seeking forgiveness for its sins.

So, sounding a bit like the Rev Ian Paisley, he tried again yesterday. "I see you have the dust of repentance on your forehead," he said, introducing a question about house prices and the Government's culpability therein. The Taoiseach did not take the prompt.

Pat Rabbitte raised again the issue of the dormant accounts fund arising from the DIRT inquiry, which promises to distribute up to €400 million to disadvantaged areas. The money was to have been disbursed by an independent trust, but - claimed the Labour leader - control of the "slush fund" had now passed to the Minister for Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív.

This was an "old-style Fianna Fáil stroke," said Mr Rabbitte, rolling the "r" for emphasis.

Mr Ahern disagreed, insisting that Mr Ó Cuív's involvement was solely due to his Department's expertise with the projects concerned. It would be "an enormous mistake to use this money for a slush fund," he added, assuring the house that such an idea was far from the Government's thoughts.

This provoked laughter opposite, but the Taoiseach was unruffled, keeping the straight face of a man who wouldn't know an old-style stroke if it was painted on his forehead.