Dail Sketch/Michael O'Regan: Leinster House carried a health warning yesterday. It was issued by the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, speaking as a medical doctor. As the House adjourned for the Christmas recess until Wednesday, January 26th, Dr O'Hanlon advised his colleagues to take a rest.
"If I have a complaint about members, it is that many of them do not take sufficient time off to look after their own health," Dr O'Hanlon added. "I appeal to members to take some time off, to relax, rest and enjoy themselves with their families."
The Opposition wanted to battle on, complaining about the manner in which the Health Amendment Bill was rushed through the House yesterday.
The Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent, said the House should return on January 12th, but the Government voted that proposal down. Party colleague, John Gormley, asked if the whips would get to debate the terms of reference of the inquiry into the hiring of a public relations consultant by Martin Cullen. He was ruled out of order.
There was a temporary truce, with the customary outbreak of Christmas bonhomie. Tánaiste Mary Harney promised that the Government would take a "short and well-deserved break".
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte extended "Yuletide felicitations" to Dr O'Hanlon and the staff of the Oireachtas. "I was delighted," he added, "that the Ceann Comhairle managed to escape unscathed from that black cat that was wandering around Monaghan earlier this year."
Fianna Fáil Minister of State Seán Power remarked: "It was not as deadly as the Rabbitte."
There was no escaping the hero of the hour on the House's last sitting day of the year. There were glowing and well-deserved tributes to head usher, Paddy Behan, who retires today after 36 years service in the Dáil.
There were tributes, too, to two other retiring ushers, Frank Lane and Des Edwards.
Dr O'Hanlon noted that for 32 of the 36 years, Mr Behan had worked continuously without sick leave, which must be a record. Clearly, there was no need for a health warning there. A popular and highly-efficient Leinster House official, Mr Behan also received several rounds of applause.
It prompted Mr Rabbitte to remark: "I cannot recall any former taoiseach getting the applause in the House that Paddy Behan has received."
Fine Gael's Richard Bruton and Independent Finian McGrath noted that Mr Behan was a constituent in their Dublin North Central constituency. Not to be outdone, Minister of State and local Fianna Fáil TD, Ivor Callely, wanted to join in, but he was told that he could not under the rules of the House.
Mr Rabbitte suggested that Mr Callely post one of his large and colourful Christmas cards to the Behan household. Mr Callely nodded with the smile of a man who knew the Behan family was already high on his long list.