Dáil Sketch/Marie O'Halloran: Perhaps by now beyond embarrassment, Minister Martin Cullen could only smile resignedly when his much vaunted €34 billion transport plan was ridiculed yet again.
And the cause of the latest taunting was Tánaiste Mary Harney, who missed the Order of Business because she got caught in traffic. "It is a rather bad omen on day three of the 21st century transport plan that the Tánaiste cannot get to the Dáil on time," Fine Gael's Richard Bruton chided.
"Perhaps the Luas should be extended to her constituency more speedily," he smirked.
Welcoming Minister Michael McDowell to the House to stand in for the Tánaiste, he suggested that his appearance in the Dáil was "almost as rare as the sighting of a brent goose".
Socialist TD Joe Higgins later quipped: "I would say the corncrake rather than the brent goose. The difference is we would like to hear more from the corncrake".
By standing in for the Tánaiste, Mr McDowell was also taking his first Order of Business, which garnered a full attendance from the PDs' remaining six TDs.
And this unexpected new job was an opportunity Labour leader Pat Rabbitte could not let pass. "The Taoiseach had a bad day yesterday, but I didn't think it was sufficiently bad to put the Minister for Justice in charge, with all that it might imply," said with a more or less straight face, to some laughter.
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche then rowed in. "It could be worse, deputy. It could be you," a riposte that garnered considerable laughter on the Government benches.
Agreeing that it was a "bad omen" that the Tánaiste got caught in traffic, Mr Rabbitte said he was "reminded of the fact that she was helicoptered to a famous opening in north Leitrim not long ago. I'm disappointed the same mode of transport isn't available this morning." But there was even more laughter when the Labour leader said that "I don't know why the Fianna Fáil benches are so happy behind the Minister, deputy McDowell, when they are so glum behind the Taoiseach". Mr McDowell was almost blushing at that.
Later Mr Rabbitte queried the code of conduct for local government officials after a second county manager took up a position with a property developer on his retirement.
A very agitated Michael Ring jumped in and roaring, demanded that county managers reveal their expenses and the bonus payments they receive. "The Minister should tell us what they are getting as rewards. It should not be hidden behind closed doors. Our expenses are open so their expenses should be open." The Minister admired the Mayo TD's "eloquent" delivery and said the code of conduct was under discussion between the Department of the Environment and the association of county managers.