Dáil Sketch/Marie O'Halloran: The subdued atmosphere in the Dáil following the death of Charles Haughey continued yesterday. The Opposition, however, never misses an opportunity to get a dig in at the Government regardless of the occasion, and yesterday was no different.
After complaints about the lack of a role for TDs in the social partnership agreement, the by now regular issue of lack of legislation surfaced once more. Labour deputy leader Liz McManus said the Dáil would sit for just three more weeks and while 16 Bills had been promised, just four were published.
She asked Tánaiste Mary Harney if she felt like Old Mother Hubbard with a cupboard bare of legislation.
Some of the Labour TDs nodded sagely, but a few Fine Gael frontbenchers sniggered like children at the back of the classroom.
Certain committees were idle, said Liz, and urgently needed legislation like the Hepatitis C Compensation Scheme Bill. The Tánaiste had promised that every effort would be made to deliver it during this session.
Ms Harney said all 16 Bills would be published before the start of the next session. Dáil sittings this session end on July 6th or 7th, but Ms Harney clarified that this session means before the start of the next session at the end of September.
Green Party leader Trevor Sargent got ruled out of order when he tried to raise the likelihood of 5,000 drink-driving cases being struck out. That issue had already been dealt with, Ceann Comhairle Dr Rory O'Hanlon reminded him. He persisted, but got nowhere.
He then raised the Electoral Reform Bill and the Ceann Comhairle cut him off when he was about to talk about voting rights for prisoners. He persisted, but again got nowhere.
"You should take Thursday morning off," suggested Labour's Emmet Stagg to the Ceann Comhairle. "You're very contrary. We would get on very fine without you here without any hassle on a Thursday morning."
The Ceann Comhairle merely suggested mildly to Deputy Stagg that "I take many of my rulings from comments made on how to conduct the business in the House".
Later the controversial Planning Infrastructure Bill provoked dramatic responses from some Opposition members. Fine Gael TD Michael Ring broke ranks with his party and voted against the Bill.
Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins was just as incensed, especially over the cost of litigation for ordinary people fighting planning decision. He recalled his own High Court battle and imprisonment over the bin charges controversy.
The local authority paid a senior counsel €7,500 for less than three hours of work. "His junior, who studiously studied the back of his senior for the less than three hours, was paid €5,000." Two days later the same payments were made.
Nice work if you can get it.