DÁIL SKETCH:THE BITTER and divisive Lisbon Treaty referendum battle yielded a temporary parliamentary truce in Leinster House yesterday, wrties Michael O'Regan.
There was the decommissioning of verbal weapons. Political scud missiles were put in storage.
A Chinese delegation watched from the VIP gallery. The Irish parliament was, no doubt, being hailed for the quietly efficient manner in which it conducts its business when word filtered back to Beijing last night. There was no mood for post-referendum recrimination, despite the sometimes barely concealed volcanic emotions on all sides.
Brian Cowen noted that the European Council would wish to understand the reasons for the rejection. His tone was statesmanlike: "In my discussions with my colleagues I will be stressing that the people have spoken and that the Government accepts the result."
Eamon Gilmore spoke in a similar vein. "It is important that everyone accepts and respects the decision made on Thursday."
Enda Kenny joined in, emphasising his disappointment with the result, but adding that the decision must be respected.
Sinn Féin, the only Dáil party to advocate a No vote, sat in quiet satisfaction. Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin scribbled notes. There was no heckling, no triumphalism from his party's silent benches.
Ó Caoláin commended not only those who had "the conviction and courage" to support the No side, but all who had participated.
He spoke of the major turnout, which was something to be encouraged.
Ceann comhairle John O'Donoghue interrupted proceedings to welcome the parliamentary delegation from the internal and judicial affairs committee of the National People's Congress of China and its leader Xuezhong Zhang.
Ministers and TDs smiled and applauded in welcome. The Chinese parliamentarians smiled and applauded in thanks. Then, it was back to the long march to Lisbon by their Irish counterparts.
The truce, briefly, looked to be in some jeopardy when the Taoiseach claimed that the No posters had misrepresented the reality of Ireland's EU commissioner representation.
"That argument was put a different way for other purposes, and we will leave it at that," said Cowen. "Negotiations are about finding an accommodation which meets the interests of all where possible."
There was an edge to the Taoiseach's words. Ó Caoláin, he said, had negotiated for a united Ireland, but the Belfast Agreement was the result.
"It is not our ideal, but it is the balance we have found," he added, perhaps ever so slightly crossing the lines agreed under the truce.
"It is a work in progress," said Ó Caoláin in reasonable tones.
Later, as political artillery resurfaced, Gilmore challenged Cowen on the Government's proposed three-month adjournment of the Dáil from next month. Labour highlighted the issue in a Private Member's motion.
Cowen gave a long-winded reply about the economy. Gilmore interrupted to angrily note that the Taoiseach was refusing to deal with the proposed three-month Oireachtas break.
The truce was well and truly over. Thankfully, the Chinese parliamentarians had left.