Dail Sketch: Events of recent days have given the Minister for Education a unique understanding of the pressures experienced by Leaving Cert students, writes Frank McNally.
He, too, faces some frantic last-minute revision over the coming days, as he struggles to find a proposal on college fees the Cabinet can accept.
And while he will have the advantage of getting his marks a lot sooner than the students, this may be a mixed blessing.
For the second day running, however, it was the Taoiseach who dealt with inquiries on the issue. In a situation that would be envied by any student, he sat for his "leader's questions" examination yesterday knowing exactly what would come up.
He had the added advantage of a detailed breakdown of what was required of him, with Enda Kenny demanding clarity (50 marks), straightness of answer (30) and none of the usual shilly-shallying (20).
So it was no surprise that Mr Ahern did well. Reminded that the first Leaving Cert exam - English - was two weeks away, he assured the House that the Government would make its decision "well before that".
And while he again declined to discuss what would be in Mr Dempsey's proposals, he offered a teaser by reaching for one of the prescribed English texts - The Plough and the Stars - and wrapping it around him.
Dismissing Pat Rabbitte's claim that only "derisory" savings would result from reintroduction of fees for those earning more than €100,000, Mr Ahern sounded like an old-school socialist saddened at the direction of new Labour.
Not only were there 50,000 people on such an income, he said, but there were "sizeable numbers" on €200,000, and they paid "nothing", either. "I don't think that's right."
Mr Rabbitte predicted what would come up in the paper eventually presented to Cabinet: a student loan scheme that would ensure PD support and "save Minister Dempsey's neck".
The Minister will hope that at least the final part of the prediction is correct.
Forced into a U-turn on the dual mandate during the last government, he can ill afford a second high-profile failure to sell a proposal to his partners.
To quote another example from the prescribed English revision list, that could be the Death of a Salesman.
As he wrestles with his Leaving Cert deadline, the Minister may also be worried about goings-on at the other end of the education system, in low infants.
Or at any rate at the "infantile and low" behaviour on the Opposition benches, as claimed by Fianna Fáil's John Cregan.
During a contribution on the Order of Business yesterday, the Greens' Paul Gogarty had his tongue firmly in cheek, which is allowed under house rules.
But he then stuck it out at his hecklers, which is not, according to Mr Cregan. The shocked Fianna Fáil TD demanded an apology.
And if nothing else, the incident again highlights the need for a Dáil creche, although it's hard to say whether Mr Cregan or Mr Gogarty needs it more.