Dail Sketch/Michael O'Regan: Mr O'Donoghue looked at the note, shook his head vigorously and proceeded to write a reply. This was returned to Mr Pat Rabbitte, who bore a sombre expression.
What was it all about? An expression of concern about the internal Fianna Fáil warfare in the Euro constituencies, where the Minister is the director of elections? An invitation to join the Labour Party? A request for a Lotto grant? Hardly.
There was a clue later in the day, at leaders' questions, when the Taoiseach was challenged on the appointment of Judge Brian Curtin to the bench.
Mr Rabbitte and Enda Kenny wanted to know if any reservations about his suitability had been expressed at the time of the appointment.
The Taoiseach noted that among those he sought information from were Mr O'Donoghue, the minister for justice at the time, as well as the current Minister, Mr McDowell, who was attorney general. Nobody had said he was unsuitable for the bench, the Taoiseach remarked.
Meanwhile, after his reply to the "3.12 p.m. note", the Minister took Question Time and was asked, among other things, about the unruly scenes in central Dublin on St Patrick's Day. Such behaviour tended to grow if not nipped in the bud, said Labour's Brian O'Shea and Fine Gael's Jimmy Deenihan.
The Green Party's Paul Gogarty made a novel suggestion. "Has the Minister ever realistically considered the possibility of changing St Patrick's Day to some time in the summer, when the days are longer and the day would be more family-friendly and more easily policed?" he asked.
"I know this idea was touted during the foot-and-mouth disease crisis, and it is an option that would be within the remit of the Minister's Department."
Showing the speed with which he wrote his reply to the "3.12 p.m. note", Mr O'Donoghue remarked: "St Patrick's Day has traditionally been on March 17th, and I would no more attempt to change that date than change the date of Christmas Day."
The Minister is prepared to take on Mr Rabbitte, but certainly not St Patrick.