"IS there anything relevant to the Order of Business?" asked the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Sean Treacy, for the last time. The Dail erupted in laughter. No. There was very little of relevance to the Order of Business that anybody wanted to raise.
As on the last day in school, giddiness infected the Dail chamber yesterday morning. The Order of Business, supposedly the time when the Dail sorts out its proceedings for the day, was the excuse for handshakes, heckles and slightly hysterical nervous laughter.
But Bertie Ahern was the boy in the class who did not see this as an occasion for jolly japes. First, he rose and asked with a grave and straight face for a moratorium on IDA job announcements for the duration of the campaign. The jeering, clapping and laughter from the Government benches drowned out Dermot Aherns tongue in cheek demand for a similar moratorium on lottery funding announcements.
With the class in uproar, Mr Ahern adopted a wounded tone to say that this "might sound frivolous" to TDs who had not been in government before, but was, he made clear, terribly serious indeed.
Brian Cowen shouted something about bank robbers. Eric Byrne of Democratic Left shouted back: "You know all about that with the company you're keeping with Gerry Adams this weather."
"How's the printing machine working?" shouted Fianna Fails Noel Treacy. "Bank robbers anonymous," shouted Mr Cowen. None of them explained what they were talking about.
Bertie spoiled the fun by getting all serious again. Would the political appointees in ministers offices observe the traditional neutral position of civil servants during the campaign? He was assured by Mr Bruton that they would. "We'll be watching," said a Fianna. Fail voice.
Mary Harney reached for a one liner to lighten the occasion: "The sun is out this morning and the rainbow will be out in a few weeks." Mr Bruton's riposte that "the rainbow always prevails over the shower" had the class in an unruly state once more.
John O'Donoghue wanted to know about regulating the security industry, Ned O'Keeffe wanted to know about the Meteorology Act.
Brian Cowen wanted to have a go at Michael Noonan one last time on the hepatitis C issue, and he wouldn't stop. The Ceann Comhairle, Mr Treacy, playing teacher for the last time, allowed him to go on for a bit, then ignored him and tried to proceed with other business. Mr Cowen demanded volubly to be allowed make a "point of order". When the volume level rose beyond ignoring point, Mr Treacy told him to stop shouting. "I will not be bullied by a member of this House," he declared.
And as Mr Cowen kept shouting, the Dail approved a deal on investments with the Czech Republic, a convention on the treatment of refugees and some Government Estimates. Eventually, Mr Cowen got to make a point, this time about hospital waiting lists.
And with the so called Order of Business over, the mass evacuation left just Mr Hugh Coveney and Mr Charlie McCreevy to finish off the ICC Bank (Amendment) Bill - "not that it's anything earth shattering", said Mr Coveney. The ICC might think otherwise. It was passed in 25 minutes.
At 11.45 a.m. they poured into the chamber again for the announcement. The Government had a 76-41 majority in the House as Mr Bruton rose to send everybody on their way. Many Opposition deputies were clearly tramping the roads already.
The dissolution of a Dail is a moment when deputies on all sides of the House feel a sense of empathy with one another. But yesterday, it only lasted until Mr Ahern got up to castigate the Government one last time as an "aberration". The vitriolic tone which crept into what is usually an "Auld Lang Syne" type occasion earned mutterings of disapproval from the Government side.
Mary Harney professed herself to be delighted and went on about "issues, ideals and values". Then we heard the sonorous tones of Mr Treacy, retiring Ceann Comhairle, for the last time. "I bid you all a fond farewell. Slan agus beannacht." He smiled and waved magisterially to each side of the house as the deputies gave him a standing ovation.