Mr Charlie McCreevy was sent into the Dail yesterday for special notice questions on the appointment of Mr Hugh O'Flaherty. He made it clear early on that he wasn't going to answer them.
For more than 30 minutes the Minister for Finance delivered a classic performance of bluster and evasion. As the Opposition pressed and abused him, he finally silenced them with what seemed to all observers to be a vicious personal reference to the Labour Chief Whip, Mr Emmet Stagg.
Mr McCreevy insisted last night that his sharp reference to deputies "sitting in the front row" who were "given a second chance" was not a swipe at Mr Stagg, but to Fine Gael's Mr Phil Hogan, now restored to a frontbench position, having resigned as a Minister of State in 1995 after his office sent some budget details to an evening newspaper before they were announced.
However, most Opposition TDs believed otherwise. After 30 minutes of sustained pressure, Mr McCreevy referred to the second chance given to "deputies in your party round and about you and to your right". Mr McCreevy sat down and several moments of silence ensued as deputies took in what all believed was a nasty reference to past controversy over Mr Stagg's personal life. Mr McCreevy is a deputy for Kildare, the same constituency as Mr Stagg.
"That is beneath the Minister," said Mr Michael Noonan. "That comment is contemptible," added Mr Brendan Howlin. "The Minister should get out," said Fine Gael leader Mr John Bruton. "I protest at the Minister's attempt to drag a person's private life into this debate," said Mr Noonan. "The Minister should do the decent thing and go," said Fine Gael's Mr Louis Belton.
Mr McCreevy sat, stony-faced, looking down. Nobody seemed sure what to do next. "The Minister might like to reflect on his remark," suggested the Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn. "Will the Minister do the decent thing for once and withdraw the remark?" asked Mr Brendan Howlin. Still Mr McCreevy sat motionless, looking down.
"I protest at the Minister's attempt to drag a person's private life into this debate," Mr Noonan repeated. "Withdraw it," shouted several TDs.
Finally Mr McCreevy spoke: "I did not name anybody," he said. Behind Mr McCreevy a half dozen Fianna Fail TDs, including the Government Chief Whip Mr Seamus Brennan, sat silently. "None of the Minister's colleagues support his remark," said Mr Bruton. "The people sitting behind him are embarrassed," said Mr Noonan. "I am sorry to say this but the Minister is very sick," said Mr Belton.
Finally, Mr Quinn asked another question, changing the subject. Later Mr Stagg said he had phoned Mr McCreevy and the Minister had assured him he was not referring to him. Few believed him. Mr McCreevy was on a plane for Lebanon last night and could not be contacted for comment.
Mr Stagg said last night that whoever Mr McCreevy was referring to "the comment was clearly designed to divert attention away from the disarray in which the Government now again finds itself".