The following e-mail was circulated in Leinster House on Wednesday. It emanated from the Fianna Fáil press office. For some strange reason a lot of deputies found it hilarious.

“A TD found a €10 note on the stairs in LH 2000 this evening. It was found on Side A, between floor 3 and floor 4. It can be collected from the enquiries desk in the main building.”

One Government backbencher, not interested in the tenner lost on the stairs near the FF offices, rushed back a terse reply. “What about the billions you lost on the State. . .”

As of yesterday the tenner remained unclaimed.

And speaking of claims, Socialist Joe Higgins is in the wars over his travelling expenses. Disgracefully, some right-wing capitalist politicians have been taking pleasure in the plight of pious Joe.

On Thursday the glum-faced deputy for Dublin West walked disconsolately past a couple of smirking Government TDs, his Oireachtas ID card hanging around his neck.

One turned to the other and said: “Is that a Topaz card?”