Fianna Fáil was furious that Ivor Callely upstaged Brian Cowen's Budget. They must be even more furious now that Michael McDowell's own-goal over the Frank Connolly affair has overshadowed the Budget entirely, writes Vincent Browne.
McDowell's conduct has been more egregious than Ivor Callely's, not that Callely didn't deserve to be fired. But Callely didn't damage unfairly the reputation of a citizen and cause the collapse of an institution that could have added significantly to the quality of our democracy. So poisoned has our public culture become that the scuttling of an independent agency to inquire into the conduct of public affairs is regarded variously as of no consequence or, among PD circles, actually welcome.
But all this has eclipsed not just Brian Cowen's big day but the contributions of the Opposition spokespersons on finance, contributions that give insight into the nature of the alternative government that is on offer.
This is a pity, because the quality of all of the main contributions was impressive - those of Richard Bruton, Joan Burton, Dan Boyle and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.
Richard Bruton started out with a few weak jokes, even weaker jibes and probably lost his audience within minutes of commencing. But the quality of his contribution as he went along was of a high order. Pity he did not go for the jugular right from the beginning, hitting with his strongest points, which he delayed until well into his speech.
The first "hit" was on the pledge that only 20 per cent of taxpayers would be on the top rate of tax at this stage. The reality is that 32 per cent are on the top rate.
The next was the point that while Brian Cowen was taking people on the minimum wage out of the tax net they would be back in the tax net next April.
The ending or projected ending of various tax reliefs seemed impressive but another tax loophole was opened up - the funding of private hospitals - which would guarantee that many of the highest earners would continue to pay a tiny proportion of their income in tax or nothing at all.
He pointed out that more than 100,000 children live in consistent poverty but the measure that deals with such poverty most directly, the child dependant allowance, was untouched.
A further good point: the €150 million to help older people remain in their homes is less than the money lost in the PPARS system. Another good point: "The 150,000 carers will get the same amount of money in support as was conceded in a cut in betting tax."
Joan Burton of Labour focused on early education. Niamh Bhreathnach, while minister for education from 1993 to 1997, had introduced a pilot early education programme but it had remained just a pilot scheme.
Early pre-school education would help reduce educational disadvantage in a way that no other programme could and yet nothing was being done.
She attacked Mary Harney's sponsorship of private hospitals and the tax breaks given in the Budget for these.
She said this would institutionalise the two-tier health system, would lead to longer waiting lists, more stretched services in public hospitals.
Dan Boyle, spokesman for the Green Party, was actually more reserved in his critique of the Budget than were the other two. For instance, he said: "I welcome the modest levels of [ public expenditure] increase sanctioned by the Minister for Finance in this Budget. It is an indication of a prudence that he probably shares with his UK counterpart, Mr Gordon Brown."
He then went on to make very similar points to those made by Richard Bruton and Joan Burton on fuel allowance, pensions, carers, pre- school education and tax reliefs. He made a few timid remarks towards the end of his speech on a carbon fund and bio fuels, but that was it.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin's speech was impressive. He focused on the extent of inequality in Irish society and the scale of poverty. He too made the point about child dependant allowance, medical cards and pre-school education. He complained about the two-tier health system, the private hospital initiative, and housing. There was a cringing Fine Gaelish bit at the end about "the hard- pressed motorist" but, again, no raving socialism.
Aside from their content, which was substantial in each case, what was interesting about these speeches of Richard Bruton, Joan Burton, Dan Boyle and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin was the extent to which they overlapped and the extent to which they all advocated policies significantly to the left of the present Government.
There is no policy difference worth talking about between Fine Gael, Labour, the Greens and Sinn Féin, which means there is a clear coalition in the waiting. In all probability that combination of parties would win an overall majority. So what's the problem? Sinn Féin has been domesticated.