Opposition seek questions rather than Dail answers

At the height of the row that marked the Dáil's resumption yesterday, a voice on the Fine Gael benches demanded the Progressive Democrats "stand up and be counted".

This would have put the PDs in an impossible position, as Fine Gael well knew. Since the introduction of electronic voting earlier this year, deputies now have to be sit down to be counted.

Indeed, such were the divisions over last night's debate on the Flood report that TDs were frequently leaping to their seats in anger, as yet another push-button vote was called.

The other innovation in the new Dáil is the behaviour of the Opposition. Traditionally, Opposition TDs have demanded answers. Yesterday, in line with modernisation, they were demanding questions. The Government's refusal to allow questions on Flood caused apoplexy on the benches opposite, but all attempts to change the format were vetoed by the Ceann Comhairle. This led to an unprecedented situation in which, when the Taoiseach responded to a point raised by Labour's Brendan Howlin, an outraged Mr Howlin complained to Rory O'Hanlon: "He's answering a question you wouldn't let me ask!"

When deputies did rise to their feet, it was usually to challenge the chair on standing orders. Whereupon Mr O'Hanlon hit his bell and issued the offenders with sitting orders, followed by marching orders in the case of Fine Gael's John Deasy.

Mr Deasy had offered a sample of the questions the Opposition wanted to ask: "What are you afraid of, Taoiseach? Why are you running away?" when the Ceann Comhairle showed him the door. Declaring that he had "no questions to answer", the Taoiseach finally had his way on the Order of Business, despite the Opposition tactic of sitting down for its rights, by repeatedly demanding votes.

There were more bums on seats in the Dáil yesterday than at the Dublin Theatre Festival. Some of the performances were festival-standard too.

As Mr Deasy provoked his ejection (cynics suspected he'd been chosen for the role by Fine Gael on the basis of his youth and good looks), his leader Enda Kenny protested at the treatment of "a representative of the younger generation, appalled at what's going on here".

The most interesting ensemble playing, however, came from the "technical working group", formerly the Greens, Sinn Féin and 11 independents. Although some of its members, such as Joe Higgins and Finian McGrath, are best known for their one-man shows, they have now banded together for mutual advantage under Dáil rules.

Christened "Green Féin" by the Government Chief Whip, the motley bunch were looking for a better name last night. "Gang of 22" and "Finian's Rainbow" were among the early contenders. Others on a postcard, please.