New students get dressing down from Master Barrett

DÁIL SKETCH:THERE ARE lessons. And then there are the ones that never seem to be learned. Sinn Féin learns fast and there's no quicker student than deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald. She had welcomed the commitment to restore the minimum wage and was happy to see the Government's "U-turn has come the full 360 degrees".

But she was concerned it would be linked to cutting allowances of 240,000 other workers on non-social hours. But the Tánaiste suggested the only 360-degree “revolution” was taken by the Sinn Féin TD. When Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett called Socialist TD Joe Higgins, McDonald protested Fianna Fáil had got a second bite at questions. “The Tánaiste wilfully did not answer my question,” she argued.

The Ceann Comhairle informed her that he was not there “to judge whether your question was answered”. It was like being back in school. And the rest of the class was quiet as the teacher sternly outlined the rules.

He told McDonald he’d call her later and moved to Joe Higgins, who was quickly on his feet with his well-prepared witticisms.

What was the point in asking about legislation, he asked, when the Government was “nothing more than a ventriloquist’s dummy for the EU-IMF”. All he was hearing was “his master’s voice”. But Richard Boyd Barrett was not listening to any master’s voice and became the recalcitrant student of the day. He had just started to ask whether the Tánaiste agreed something on the minimum wage when the Ceann Comhairle intervened and said, “It’s not a question of agreeing with anybody. This is about asking when legislation is due.”

And thus began what looks like being a very steep learning curve for the Dún Laoghaire TD. He asked the Tánaiste to “comment on the shocking comments”, but was told “no, he can’t comment”.

Finian McGrath hopped in: “Look what the men in suits did to this country.” When the kerfuffle died down sufficiently RBB said: “I’m asking about the legislation.” “You’re not asking about the legislation,” the chairman said, and insisted he resume his seat.

Eventually he had to do as instructed. When he was called again he said, “At last”, which got the response that “You can’t be jumping up and down every five minutes.” When Finian McGrath intervened again to support the wayward deputy, the Ceann Comhairle asked him: “Are you looking after this man?” to which RBB retorted: “Well you’re not, that’s for sure,” a remark he was asked to withdraw.

“I’ve got a direct question,” he said, and asked again about the minimum wage. When cut off he moved to an item on the order paper about trade with the West Bank and Gaza. “Have you no respect for the chair?” asked a by now thoroughly disgruntled Ceann Comhairle. “But it’s on the order paper,” came the reply. Learn the rules, he was warned.

It was too much for Fine Gael’s Tom Hayes. “Point of information,” he shouted. “There is no such thing,” retorted the Ceann Comhairle.

But the Tipperary deputy amended his words to “point of order”, and asked could there be a “crash course” for “new deputies who don’t understand the rules and regulations of the House”.

That’s not a point of order, he was told, and instructed to sit down. Only another four years and nine months of this.