IT hasn't been the best of Christmas times for Dublin party goers. The difficulty in getting taxis forced many merrymakers to stay local, while those who ventured out have stayed sober. The result has often been dullsville. If the new Minister for Transport, Alan Dukes, wants instant popularity he could put more taxis on the roads, by whatever means, immediately. Adding to the gloom is a new expense insurance. Since front bencher Maire Geoghegan Quinn broke her ankle at the FF party last year and threatened to sue, the Leinster House authorities have forced all party organisers to take out insurance. Taoiseach John Bruton missed his own party's parties and was replaced as host by deputy leader Nora Owen. On Tuesday night, when deputies (who fork out for this event) and staff made merry in Leinster House and the following night in Mount Street headquarters when outside guests gather, he was in the US. Fianna Fail, Labour and the PDs had their bashes the previous week FF and Labour in Leinster House and the PDs in their headquarters where news of the next day's opinion poll, in which they had won the Lotto, created great joy. DL threw a private dinner for Deputies and staff on Wednesday, where Cork Deputy Kathleen Lynch distributed a number of awards. DL intends holding a big do to mark its fifth birthday early next year. The best party in London as usual was that thrown by our ambassador Fed Barrington, who earlier in the week had consumed two lunches in the line of duty, one in Downing Street at the Anglo Irish talks and the other at the embassy where he had a long standing engagement with EU ambassadors. It was after his party at the Tory conference in Bournemouth in October that poor Nick Scott, the MP for Kensington and Chelsea, was found slumped in the gutter and as a result was deselected last week. No such mishaps are reported on this occasion.