Dail Sketch/Michael O'Regan: Subversion was in the air in the Dáil yesterday as Brian Cowen took the Order of Business for the Government.
The Minister for Finance was flanked by an impressive ministerial line-up and a goodly number of backbenchers.
They heard much talk of using the guillotine and the threat of a coup d'etat.
Mr Cowen held his head, despite a minor head-throw against Pat Rabbitte, and the Government left the Chamber intact.
The Opposition was concerned about the speed in which the Government wanted the British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill passed through the House.
"It may come as a surprise to the House that since the foundation of the Irish Republic in 1919, the guillotine has been used 575 times.
"But since the current combination of parties assumed office in 1997, it has been used 191 times, 33 per cent of the total number," said Mr Rabbitte.
"A lot done, more to do," observed Michael McDowell, recalling FF's general election slogan.
"That is not what the deputy said on his election posters," replied Mr Rabbitte in a reference to the PD Minister for Justice's advice to voters at the time to guillotine the number of FF deputies and prevent the party getting an overall majority.
Trevor Sargent claimed the level of secrecy surrounding a briefing on the Bill was "worthy of the planning of a coup d'etat, but we discovered at the briefing that the legislation was to deal with a technicality as a result of some incompetence on the Government's part which had to be rectified".
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin noted that Mr McDowell had "been back up the pole again in recent times", adding that he wanted to thank him, on behalf of Sinn Féin candidates, for his "helpful" intervention in the Northern election.
Ruled out of order by Ceann Comhairle Dr Rory O'Hanlon, the Sinn Féin deputy remarked: "A light moment, perhaps."
John O'Donoghue observed: "Very light."
Mr Cowen noted that there was "a sense of revolution" in the House, with references to coups d'etat and guillotines.
He said that the Bill clarified legal provisions regarding the operation of the North-South bodies.When Mr Rabbitte asked about his own whistleblowers' protection bill, he thought that Mr Cowen's response was arrogance or ignorance or both.
"Deputy Rabbitte is good at that," said Mr Cowen.
"This is a new reign of terror," remarked Fine Gael's Jim O'Keeffe.
Mr Cowen, once regarded as his party's Dáil Opposition executioner, retained a positively statesman-like demeanour.