DAIL SKETCH: Week three of the inspections, and another question time passed yesterday without the emergence of any conclusive evidence that the Government is in possession of a secret policy on Iraq.
The Opposition continues to insist that Bertie Ahern is using weapons of mass confusion in Dáil debates to obscure his real attitude to the impending war. But despite probing several new areas around the Taoiseach during the latest searches, no smoking gun was found.
The questioners were acting on intelligence - published in yesterday's Irish Times - in which sources suggested the Government is using "highly nuanced" statements to leave the way open to support a unilateral US move for war.
Nuance specialist Michael D. Higgins tried a surprise tack. Just back from Iraq, where he may have picked up tips from Dr Blix, the Labour TD asked Mr Ahern why he was disappointed at not being asked to sign the letter of the "gang of 8" European countries.
With a low-to-moderate level of nuance, Mr Ahern replied that there was "inconsistency" in "eight countries writing a letter complaining about the acts of two countries, when they hadn't asked anyone else".
But Mr Higgins still found this "a little Jesuitical" and, smiling, made a helpful suggestion: "You'll have to write a letter yourself outlining your views." On reflection, he added: "They'll fit easily on a card."
This is not the first time Labour has deployed sarcasm in the attempt to flush the Taoiseach out from behind UN resolution 1441. But on the brief occasions when he emerged yesterday, he was holding the UN inspectors' report, due on Friday, in front of him.
Maybe Mr Higgins had a St Patrick's Day card in mind for Mr Ahern's views, because others asked what he would say to President Bush next month when - as Joe Higgins put it - "you present yourself on the White House lawn".
This tactic didn't work either with the Taoiseach, who is obviously stockpiling reserves of optimism, hoping the issue might be "peacefully resolved" by then. Trevor Sargent suggested Mr Ahern's views would fit on the back of a stamp on the St Patrick's Day card. "Bombs away," he summarised. But Mr Ahern was giving nothing away yesterday, least of all bombs.
Labour has opened up a second front against the Government, and Pat Rabbitte continued his probing about the indemnity of the religious institutions, convinced that, on this issue at least, he has the Taoiseach by the Dardanelles.
But Iraq dominated again. "We stand on the brink of war," Enda Kenny said, staring at the Taoiseach. It was time for "a straight answer to a straight question".
For a moment, Mr Ahern stood on the brink of a straight answer.
"I've no problem giving a straight answer," he insisted, as the tension grew.
Then he pulled back: "First we've got to wait until Friday's report."
