DRAPIER had to "keep the head down" at Thursday's Order of Business. Yours truly featured in an exchange between the Taoiseach and Michael McDowell.
Deputy McDowell suggested that Bruton had, on the previous day, alleged that McDowell had failed to declare (on the Register of Interests) his job as a columnist for the Sunday Independent.
He called on the Taoiseach to withdraw any such imputation. Bruton was in the process of explaining his position when McDowell interjected to "remind the Taoiseach that the person sitting behind him, who writes the Drapier column each week, should declare an interest". Amid much laughter, the Taoiseach replied that he had, for years, wondered who wrote the Drapier column.
Drapier can assure both his colleagues and his readers that he will most certainly not be declaring his interest (and also blowing his cover). The Taoiseach and others must wait a bit longer before they find out who Drapier is. Maybe until Drapier's memoirs are written.
Over the last few weeks Drapier has detected a distinct and recurring theme around Leinster House. Politicians of long standing always seem to have the knack of sniffing "something in the air".
To some of these, there has been a persistent drip-drip of ever so small instances, pointing to one thing: uneasiness within the Government parties. While outwardly there has been a show of cohesion, behind the scenes, to keen observers, there have been a number of happenings which show that this cohesion may only be skin deep.
Drapier thinks it may all have to do with the fact that we are coming into an election year and the various parties in Government are endeavouring to position themselves as favourably as possible.
The recent difficulties of Ministers Noonan and Yates are a case in point. Labour are not renowned for their appeal to farmers. But they were most annoyed at the negativity of the IFA who were very up front in their criticism of Dick Spring.
They accused him of not using his position as Foreign Affairs Minister to open up closed foreign markets and particularly for not going to Iran. The latter omission was put down to the belief that Dick Spring did not want to discommode any of our Western partners.
The fact that there is a strong link between Fine Gael and the IFA led people in Labour to feel that this type of criticism, in order to take the heat from Yates, was Fine Gael-inspired. Drapier hears that the sum total of the criticism of the Government at a recent farmers' meeting organised by the IFA in Monaghan was directed not against Yates but against the Tanaiste.
On the other hand, the Labour "spinners" are decrying the debacle made by both Noonan and Yates, though in the hepatitis C issue they are not doing this so loudly, just in case the finger might be pointed in Labour's direction in respect of their period in Government in this regard.
This weakening of cohesion is not confined to inter-party rivalry. It has even occurred within parties.
It is now well known that there is no love lost between Noonan and Yates. Their row originated mainly from Yates's neglect, or refusal, to defend Noonan's handling of the hepatitis C affair on a recent Questions & Answers programme.
It is true that Yates was put under the cosh by Emily O'Reilly on this programme, but his omission in Noonan's case will not be easily forgotten. Some are saying that it may have all to do with manoeuvrings within Fine Gael to be heir apparent to Bruton.
Noonan wasn't long getting his own back on Yates when he cancelled the much-heralded press conference concerning the Government's proposals for an independent food quality authority. He did so apparently on the basis that he wasn't happy that the full arrangements had been put in place, which in itself was a fairly direct criticism of Yates and the Department of Agriculture.
One of the elements of the Government which continuously defies everyone's logic is how cosy and apologetic the former radicals of the Workers' Party now Democratic Left have become.
When this Government was put together most speculation revolved round how De Rossa and Co would react as Ministers. It must be said that they have totally taken to the job "like a duck to water", defying all previous indications.
Their cosiness with Fine Gael has astounded most observers. When Noonan and Yates were in trouble in went Kathleen Lynch spitting fire against anyone who would dare criticise them.
She did this even before some of the Ministers' own backbenchers jumped to their defence. Ms Lynch's speeches on the hepatitis C and BSE were remarkable. So much so that recently Emily O'Reilly devoted a full article in the Sunday Business Post to what Kathleen Lynch had to say in the Dail on the hepatitis C issue. It was suggested by some in the Positive Action Group that Lynch's speech was insulting to women.
O'Reilly, warming to this theme, castigated Lynch for defending a Minister who was obliged to give a grovelling apology to all and sundry. Lynch was yet again jumping to the defence of a Fine Gael Minister, on safer ground for her, that is, attacking farmers. Her attack and that of Proinsias De Rossa, when he said that the farmers were "rolling in it", did not anger Fine Gael farmers as much as Spring's perceived inaction concerning foreign markets.
Democratic Left's patience will be similarly tried on Nora Owen's latest crisis. It remains to be seen how this issue will develop, but certainly Democratic Left and Labour will be asked to swallow hard on this one. The Attorney General's involvement must put additional pressure on Labour who in the past have made such a "song and dance" about former Attorney Generals. This one may in fact be Nora's last stand.
Libel cases are certainly the name of the game these days. With Albert and his greater family holding their breath, now Padraig Flynn seems destined to get in on the act after an alleged national insult by a British tabloid.
Like many more of his colleagues, Drapier attended the 10th anniversary celebrations of Questions & Answers on Tuesday. The event included a short video of significant clips from old programmes. By a mile, the two most poignant moments during this video were contributions from the late Veronica Guerin and the "snaring" of Brian Lenihan during his fateful presidential campaign. There were very few dry eyes in the audience.