The life of Leinster House this week was dominated by the Seanad elections. This year more than ever we saw the system creaking along at its most cumbersome and at times arcane, and even though the whole operation was conducted with the most meticulous thoroughness and professionalism by the Leinster House staff, we were into the weekend before it finished. So much for progress.
The election had more drama than usual. The threat of legal action still hangs over the results and at time of writing it is still a real possibility. The loss of seven votes on each of five panels just should not have happened. It was a serious blow to Labour and it was due entirely to human error of a fairly basic kind.
What struck Drapier as odd was the absence of any sort of remedy in the legislation for just such a situation. Legislation which goes into such extraordinary detail on so many other matters dealing with the electoral procedures is seriously lacking in this regard and is one of many aspects of the Seanad which needs urgent attention.
At a personal level the results had some surprises. The pact between Fianna Fail and the PDs held up and was the decisive factor in a number of Fianna Fail's gains. The fun will now start in earnest for the PDs when Mary Harney picks four nominees from the dozens of aspirants who have beaten a path to her door.
It is generally expected that John Dardis who performed well in the last Seanad will get one of the places, but after that there are no certainties and quite a few noses will be seriously out of joint before the whole thing ends.
The big surprise was the defeat of Fianna Fail's Chief Whip Tom Fitzgerald. Readers may remember last year Drapier named Fitzgerald as his Senator of the Year for his dedication, hard work, integrity and decency. Fitzgerald commands respect and affection across party lines in Leinster House and it was ironic to see him lose to people who make far less contribution to the working of the House.
Drapier is not whingeing. Handsome is as handsome does, in politics as in life, and if you don't get the votes you don't get elected. But Drapier would strongly recommend to Bertie Ahern this morning to look hard at Tom Fitzgerald's name when he comes to make his own Seanad nominees. Such a choice would be as popular as it would be merited.
Drapier sends his condolences, too, to Joe Sherlock. Joe is one of the great survivors of Irish politics but has had a rough couple of months, losing first in the Dail election and then so narrowly for the Seanad. Again it was a question of votes and Joe was the loser by just a small fraction, in his case largely because of unexpected preference transfers from Fianna Fail to Fine Gael. Politics can indeed be a cruel trade.
Drapier was impressed by the cut of Tom Hayes, Fine Gael's new senator from South Tipperary. In spite of some reports earlier Hayes is very much his own man and Drapier expects him to make quite an impression both locally and nationally.
Interesting, too, to see the return of Des Hanafin, always an addition to any group, and Brendan Ryan, whose radicalism will inject plenty of discomfort for the new Government. Drapier would like to have seen William Binchy make it also. Binchy has the makings of a good legislator, but his single-issue perception, which belies the reality of a much more rounded personality, cost him dear when it came to attracting much-needed voting transfers. Underlying the whole Seanad count is a growing realisation of the need for far-reaching reforms of the House. Not just of the electoral procedures which make no concession to advances in technology. Why not have a designated day for voting, collect the votes and have them counted in Dublin next day? It doesn't have to be any more complicated.
Drapier's point, however, is wider. Drapier is a supporter of the two-house view of parliament but feels the Seanad has been left behind in much of the reforming which has taken place in recent years.
It's not that there aren't plenty of ideas around. Jim O'Keeffe's constitutional committee produced a full volume on the subject with an excellent academic analysis by John Coakley and Michael Laver. The Seanad itself has had a series of thoughtful debates on the issue.
It's not a question of a shortage either of analysis or debate, it's a question of will. Drapier believes the Seanad has an increasingly useful role to play but this will only happen if the Seanad makes its own reform a priority.
On other matters, Avril Doyle kept her presidential ambitions alive by getting herself elected to the Seanad. Only just, but enough, and the canvassing will now start in earnest for the support of members of the Fine Gael parliamentary party. It should be interesting.
The John Hume story, however, simply refused to go away and most of the wise money in here is on him moving into a positive mode in the coming weeks. Such are the signals from Northern sources and apparently there is no shortage of Southern encouragement.
Drapier will not delay his readers in discussing the Dana proposal. He thinks at this stage it's about as serious as the candidacy of Dustin and certainly he has yet to meet any politician who is prepared to go public in his support.
The other stories that won't go away are hepatitis C and Ray Burke. Drapier thought Michael Noonan did well this week, but ultimately this is one he can never win. He is obliged to defend his own name and reputation and this he did effectively.
But ultimately the public has decided on the guilt of the State and of the system and it is Noonan's bad fortune to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and he must shoulder infinitely more of the responsibility and anger than is even remotely fair. Again, who ever said politics was fair?
As to Ray Burke, what should have been the high point of his career - a senior figure in Government, best friend of the Taoiseach, exciting portfolio and all that - is turning into a personal nightmare. Drapier is not one for blood sports and gets no pleasure in what is happening.
Finally Drapier mentioned some time ago that Mary Harney had not been seen smiling since the election. Drapier knows some readers have written in to report sightings of the Harney smile and Drapier can now confirm that she is smiling again. He saw it himself this week and a nice smile it was, too.