DAIL SKETCH: Critics sometimes claim unfairly that the State's largest party is for the birds.
This is a gross generalisation because, as befits a great movement, Fianna Fáil has a broad spectrum of opinion on the bird issue. There may even be members who are actively against the birds, at least insofar as the birds' activities impinge on economic life.
The point was underlined by yesterday's meeting of the parliamentary party. Taking precedence over the Iraq crisis - the last item on the agenda - subjects for discussion included an EU wildlife directive, implementation of which would include protection for the "hen harrier".
The hen harrier sounds like something that could be the subject of a hammer attack in Shannon. In fact, it's a threatened species of hawk which nests in Cork, Kerry and Limerick, and locals there are concerned at possible restrictions on farming and other activities.
So a group of Fianna Fáil TDs asked the Minister for the Environment to report on what scientific evidence exists about the threat to the hawk.
It's not known whether the Taoiseach has a view on the hen harrier, and if he does he probably wouldn't let on. In Dáil discussions on Iraq he has managed to hold a hawk in one hand and a dove in the other, so far without incident. His support for a second UN resolution notwithstanding, Mr Ahern was still withholding his "endline position" yesterday, apart from voicing optimism that war (and a straight answer) can still be avoided.
Peace-lovers they may be but the Opposition parties have taken a leaf out of the military textbook of late by targeting the Government's communications.
For the second day running, the communications unit - a body which monitors media coverage of Government policy - faced shelling across the Chamber floor. Both the cost and the nature of the work have been questioned, but yesterday - having it both ways - the Opposition suggested the monitors were falling down on the job.
The claim arose when the Taoiseach admitted he was unfamiliar with dove-like comments made on Tuesday night on RTÉ's Prime Time by former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews.
When Pat Rabbitte suggested the Taoiseach might have monitored the programme himself, Mr Ahern protested that he was still working at the time. Whereupon restless backbencher Conor Lenihan leapt to his defence by suggesting the Opposition should get out more: "What a sad life - watching Prime Time!"
Seasoned parliamentary observers heard the unmistakeable sound of a vicious riposte being launched at Mr Lenihan from behind Opposition lines. And even hard men winced when the Greens' Eamon Ryan hit the target: "What a sad life, being a Fianna Fáil backbencher!"