Dáil Sketch / Michael O'Regan: Minister for Finance Brian Cowen is a famous son of Clara, Co Offaly. Yesterday, as he took the Order of Business in the Dáil, Mr Cowen's native heath was eulogised by Fine Gael defence spokesman Billy Timmins.
Mind you, it was such a pedestrian Order of Business that Mr Timmins, who had been signalling for some time to be heard, almost missed his call from Leas-Cheann Comhairle Séamus Pattison. He seemed to be dreaming, perhaps of Fine Gael's chances of getting back its two seats in Mr Cowen's Laois-Offaly constituency.
"The Minister for Finance will be aware that the Irish Army camp in Liberia is aptly named Camp Clara," said Mr Timmins. "Will he join me in complimenting the role played by Irish troops in providing security for the arrest of Charles Taylor and wish them well in the days ahead in the job they have to do in Sierra Leone?"
Conscious that Taylor was arrested on war crimes charges, the Minister thanked Mr Timmins, adding: "I confirm to the deputy that there the similarities end."
Mr Cowen's new persona of world-weary gravitas, befitting, no doubt, a taoiseach-in-waiting, meant that FF's once political Rottweiler was not easily tempted off his leash by the Opposition. Mind you, he got a little tetchy with Joe Higgins, of the Socialist Party, usually the bane of the Taoiseach's life when he is answering questions in the House.
Mr Higgins wanted a supplementary estimate for emergency provision for the 200 children in his Dublin West constituency who were denied places in school in September.
"In the same week as further revelations of tens of thousands of euro in bribes to local politicians in Fingal, is it not clear that the children of west Dublin are the victims of corruption as developers were allowed free rein to throw up thousands of houses, making massive profits, but without any provision for the children, or the necessary funding for the community?" Mr Higgins asked.
A clearly irritated Mr Cowen replied: "I remind the deputy and other members of the House that the Government has set up tribunals of inquiry on planning matters in county Dublin and elsewhere."
Independent TD Finian McGrath observed: "The Minister should tell that to Deputy Michael McDowell and practise what he preaches."
Mr Cowen, with an increasingly sharp edge, said that it did not serve the House well when members came into the chamber "to substitute as self-appointed chairmen of such tribunals, making assertions that will be decided upon by the tribunal in due course".
And so the Order of Business petered out, with Mr Cowen back later in the day to take Finance questions.
It is now being speculated in Leinster House that this change of political personality might prove contagious. Who is next? Michael McDowell, now the essence of sweet reason, after recent political battles?
