The glamorous portrait by Lord Dunsany of FG leader John Bruton which was unveiled at the RHA on Monday is one of a pair languishing in the OPW art library on St Stephen's Green. The other is Carey Clarke's portrait of Albert Reynolds. Both are destined to join all former taoisigh on the walls of Leinster House once the subjects leave public life. Where exactly they will hang is another matter, since the two prime spots, at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Dail chamber, are occupied by an imperial Charlie Haughey (by John F. Kelly) and a tousled Garret FitzGerald (by Derek Hill). Others including the late Jack Lynch (also by Kelly) and Liam Cosgrave, who was 80 this week, (by Edward Maguire), hang in the gallery above. When Bertie Ahern retires as Taoiseach, the OPW will present him with a panel of artists and a selection of their work so he can choose for whom he will sit.
Meanwhile, as work on the new building progresses, floor plans have been given to the whips so they can allocate office space for October. So far, there have been no rows, because for the first time all deputies and senators will have a room of their own and will no longer have to huddle in the corridors or bar to avoid colleagues' eavesdropping.
The five-storey block, which now houses the main party rooms, will be refurbished over the summer to bring it up to the standard of the new building and some members will be temporarily elevated to accommodation on the ministerial corridor. Kildare House, across the road, will be vacated by members and a creche is to be opened, with space for 24 children and - shades of the Westminster row - a feeding room.
Quidnunc had hoped for a comment on all this progress and on the half-Tarmaced Leinster Lawn, which he has promised to fully restore, from the OPW minister, Martin Cullen, but he was in Havana this week, representing Brian Cowen at the inaugural summit of the G77 group of Developing Countries. And because it was Cuba, even the mobiles wouldn't work.